


Unusual Circumstances

by Voyager6



Series: Aang and Zuko's path [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-06 19:13:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 20
Words: 28,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16838704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Voyager6/pseuds/Voyager6
Summary: What would happen if Aang and Zuko realized how much they actually had in common? What if their relationship developed into more than friendship; how would they handle it, and how would their friends take it?Originally published 06/10/2011 on fanfiction.net and cross-posted





	1. Small Steps

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: Deals with intimacy between minors  
> Some violence
> 
> Cross-posted from Fanfiction.net and Adultfanfiction.org

Avatar The Last Airbender  
(I don't own A.T.L.A., Mike D., Brian K., & NICK do.)  
Avatar the Last Airbender  
Unusual Circumstances  
What would happen if Aang and Zuko realized how much they  
had in common, and actually began to develop feelings for  
one another? How would they handle it, and how would their  
friends react to this?  
(Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA, nor do I own any of the characters  
therein. They are the property of Mike D., Bryan K., and Nickelodeon)  
Chapter-1 One Small Step at a Time  
(Set During "The Western Air Temple")  
Aang still could not quite believe what he was hearing; Zuko, who had pursued them all over the world was now asking for the chance to join their group. Zuko, who had used his fire bending for intimidation and violence, was now offering to teach Aang that same art to put an end to the war. More important than these last two issues the banished prince's driving goal, in fact his very reason for living, had always seemed to be to return home and reclaim his birthright as heir to the throne. And now he claimed that he had thrown all of that away to help Aang and his friends.  
Sokka and Katara were vehemently opposed to the notion, they had seen too much of the prince's aggressive side to believe he was capable of anything else. The prince had also seemed to have difficulty making the choice between doing the right thing, and taking the easy way out; if what Katara had said of their encounter beneath Ba Sing Se was anything to go by.  
Toph, for her part had gone to see; (metaphorically speaking), Zuko the night before, after his first attempt at an overture yesterday afternoon; and he had burned her feet. But, even she admitted that it was because she had surprised him, not a deliberate attack.  
The blind earth-bender had only encountered Zuko once before, briefly during their group's battle with Azula in that Earth-Kingdom ghost town.  
Aang couldn't forget about that either; Zuko had helped them fight his own sister. In addition, that was not the first time the prince had helped him. In his guise of 'The Blue Spirit' he had risked life and limb to rescue Aang from Zhao's fortress prison.  
All of these thoughts were racing through the young avatar's mind, and he only vaguely heard Zuko make mention of the assassin Sokka had dubbed 'Combustion Man'; he snapped out of his reverie when he heard his friends react angrily to this. In a misguided attempt to silence the demons of his past, the prince had hired the assassin to finish what his sister hadn't been quite able to achieve in the crystal catacombs.  
At just that moment everyone caught their breath as they heard the telltale deep inhalation, followed by a popping sound that marked an attack by the aforementioned assassin. Just as the lethal blast was about to reach its mark, Zuko raced forward and pushed Aang and Katara to the ground. The blast missed them by a hairsbreadth. Zuko picked them up, one of each of their hands in each of his, and pulled them behind a stout pillar where Toph and Sokka had already taken shelter.  
At the moment their hands intertwined Aang felt a surge of warmth rush through him, and was surprised to recognize the same thing mirrored in Zuko's face. Aang dismissed it as just adrenaline due to their current situation, at any rate he could not afford to dwell on that now. Just then, the prince rushed off and was climbing a vine up to the terrace above their own, apparently to confront 'combustion man' face-to-face  
Aang was shocked when he heard Prince Zuko shout "Stop, I don't want you hunting the Avatar anymore!" Aang and his friends watched, mesmerized, as Zuko stood toe-to-toe with the man, more than twice his size, blocking his line of fire. 'Combustion Man' merely shoved him aside and took aim down below again.  
Zuko again rushed forward building his own fiery attack; the assassin simply grabbed the prince by his shirtfront with his metallic prosthetic arm and picked him up, ruining his shot. Zuko struggled uselessly against the vicelike grip then he exclaimed, "Okay, I'll pay you double to STOP!"  
The brute threw the younger man aside, and then apparently deciding that he'd had enough of his erstwhile employer's interference, he turned his attack on Zuko himself.  
Zuko bent a shield of his own fire to protect himself from the assassin's, but, the impact pushed him back over the ledge he'd just climbed up.  
For a split second Aang felt his heart leap up into his throat, that strange feeling when his and Zuko's hands had touched earlier was back, and was replaced with relief when he saw that the prince had managed to grab the vine he'd just climbed and saved himself from plunging to his death.  
Strange, why did seeing his former pursuer almost die, at the hands of a murderer he himself had hired, terrify Aang so much; and why did his survival make the young avatar feel so relieved and grateful?  
Just then, Sokka, recognizing his chance, stepped out from behind their pillar, whispered to his trusty boomerang, lined it up, and then released the weapon with the mightiest throw he could manage.  
Aang and his friends watched the boomerang's arcing flight, and were overjoyed to see it smack Combustion Man squarely in the 'third eye' tattoo in the center of his forehead with a bone shattering crunch.  
The brute went down, "Yeah, Boomerang!" Sokka shouted as he leapt up to catch the weapon as it returned, followed by a dejected "Aaaww, Boomerang," when Combustion Man stumbled to his feet, he was dazed, but still very much alive  
He was decidedly unsteady, however, and had blood streaming from his nose and ears. He also appeared to have trouble taking aim, but he fired his mental flame burst just the same; with spectacular results!  
The unfocused burst of energy blasted the cliff on which he was standing right off the mountainside.  
The last Aang and his friends saw of him was his metallic arm spinning down after the rocky debris and presumably, whatever was left of the arm's former owner.  
The young Avatar and his friends went to each other and warmly embraced to celebrate their victory, but their celebration got interrupted by a low groan coming from over the side of the terrace.  
Aang, Sokka and even Katara exchanged a fearful glance with each other and rushed to see what had become of their unexpected ally in this encounter.  
The teenaged Fire-Nation prince hung precariously from his vine but from the looks of the taut vine and his straining arms, neither of them was going to be able to hold on too much longer.  
Aang and Sokka began hauling up the vine aided by Katara with the technique the mysterious water-bending sage Hue, had taught her; bending the water in the vine itself.  
Soon they had Zuko back on solid ground where the four of them, the Avatar, the Water-Tribe siblings, and the Fire-Nation prince collapsed into a heaving, gasping heap.  
Eventually, it dawned on them that they were in a rather awkward position and, with grudging "thanks," and embarrassed "you're welcomes," the group disentangled themselves from one another.  
Without really knowing why Aang went back toward Zuko and hugged the prince, who despite being nearly a head taller and physically, if not in terms of bending, much stronger than Aang, looked decidedly scared by this.  
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but thanks, Zuko" Aang exclaimed giving a beaming grin to the prince, who looked embarrassed.  
Zuko was unaccustomed to people making public displays of affection towards him; and in particular, people showing him gratitude, or friendship.  
Zuko swallowed, and then blushed, smiling as gently as could while he patted the younger boy on the back saying, "You're welcome, Avatar."  
Aang looked taken aback by this, nobody he knew not Katara and Sokka, not Toph, nor any of their other friends called him by his title which he really preferred to down-play.  
Then, it dawned on him that Zuko may never have actually learned his name.  
Aang held out his right hand and properly introduced himself saying, "My name is actually Aang, Prince Zuko."  
Zuko now looked embarrassed, as he accepted the offered hand.  
He smiled awkwardly and said "You're welcome, uuh, Aang, but you no longer need to call me 'Prince Zuko'."  
Zuko saw the confused looks on the faces of Aang and his companions and knew he owed them an explanation, about a lot of things. He told them about his brief confrontation with his father during the eclipse, and how he learned about the true costs of the war and the devastation it had caused. He told them going after Iroh, but that he'd already gotten himself out. Lastly he said that he knew this all had to end, one way or another; and that's why he came here.  
It felt right accepting Zuko's offer, especially after he spoke of understanding the need to control his fire. Aang knew Zuko could relate to the turmoil he felt after burning Katara. Aang had also seen the heroic side of Zuko, the side that had risked life and limb to save him from Zhao.  
Aang explained about Katara, "When I first tried to learn fire bending, I accidently burned Katara. After that, I never wanted to fire-bend again. Now, I know that you understand how easy it is to lose control and hurt someone unintentionally. I'd like you to teach me."  
However, he could not make a unilateral decision. "I need to ask my friends if it's ok with them first; they will have the final say," said the Ava-Aang; Zuko corrected himself. Zuko was about to protest, and then thought better of it, he had wronged all of these people; and they deserved to be angry, even to hold a grudge, against him. He would allow himself to be at their mercy.  
Aang first turned to the blind earth-bender, "Toph," Zuko made a note of the girl's name, he'd have to learn all of their names, eventually. It wouldn't help his cause if he kept calling them 'peasants'.  
"You're the one Zuko burned, what do you think?" "Go ahead and let 'im join," she said cavalierly. It'll give me plenty of chances to get back at him for burning my feet."  
"Katara," Aang asked the Water-Tribe girl, who had a sullen expression laced with hostility. Zuko knew, that of all of Aang's friends, hers was the opinion he probably valued most. She was also the least likely to trust Zuko now, for she had done so once before, beneath Ba-Sing Se; and he had really let her down. Her brother might be easier to convince, but Zuko would have to provide some damned good proof  
"I'll go along with whatever you think is right," she said; but there was no mistaking that she really thought this was a terrible idea.  
Aang however, decided to take her statement at face value, and turned to her brother.  
"Sokka, what do you think?" Aang asked of the teenaged Water-Tribe boy. Although Zuko could see the mistrust in Sokka's eyes, to his credit the young man said "All I want is to defeat the Fire-lord and end the war; If you think this is the way to do it, then I'm all for it."  
Cupping his right hand into his outstretched left palm, Aang formally bowed to Zuko and said "I would like you to join us, and be my fire-bending teacher."  
Zuko returned the bow, in the Fire-Nation's style of closed right fist against the heel of the open left hand and replied simply, "I'm very happy to be accepted by your group."  
However, they said nothing; they simply turned and walked away, motioning for him to follow. Sokka stopped first and leaned down to pick up Toph, who was still unable to walk.  
Zuko supposed it was a start, at least. They were walking away, not fleeing, and they seemed comfortable enough to turn their backs to him. Zuko sighed, and thought "Well, one small step at a time."


	2. Welcome to the Family

Chapter 2  
Welcome to the Family  
(Set During "The Western Air Temple")  
That first evening with Aang and his friends was less traumatic than Zuko thought it would be, in spite of Katara's implied threat that she would "end" him if she suspected he was even thinking about hurting Aang. After unwinding near their campfire, which Zuko had been able to light much faster than they otherwise could have, she was a little more relaxed.  
Sokka had introduced the former prince to the other members of their small band, Teo, the young teen who'd lost the use of his legs, but who was very clever and inventive. It turned out that he and his father had invented those frighteningly effective war balloons the fire nation was now using as an Air Force. They couldn't be held responsible for it though; for Zuko knew they had been blackmailed and forced into creating the damned things.  
Then there were 'Pipsqueak', who, despite his name, was a gentle giant of a man; and 'The Duke', a young orphan. They had once been in the band of freedom fighters assembled by Jet. Zuko had met Jet once before, while he and Uncle Iroh were on the run. He'd worked with Jet to secure food from the well-stocked pantry of their ferry ship's captain and distributed it to the hungry passengers.  
Later, after Jet had somehow discovered that Zuko and Iroh were fire-benders, he attacked them, trying to force them to use their abilities to defend themselves. This would have exposed them and they would have been arrested by the Dai-li. Jet's plan backfired however, and he was the one dragged away. Zuko felt sorry for him, and often wondered what had happened to the angry young man, who in many ways, reminded Zuko of himself. He promised himself that he owed it to Jet to look after the youngest member of the Avat- AANG'S, he corrected himself again, little group.  
Finally, there was another young earth-bender, Haru. All of the earth-benders of his village had been taken to an offshore prison rig where they were forced to use their abilities to separate coal from the rocks that they were also forced to mine. In order to save Haru from the same fate that befell his father and so many other earth-benders from their town, his mother had forbidden him from using his art. He was found out, nevertheless.  
In a daring undercover operation Aang, Katara, and her brother, who Zuko was beginning to suspect was a lot smarter than he initially seemed, stole aboard the rig and convinced the earth-benders to rebel and regain their freedom.  
Zuko looked around at these friends of Aang, and didn't see the fear and disgust that he expected to find in their eyes, but a sense of tentative optimism that not all fire-benders were monsters. There was also a little bit of curiosity in those faces, Zuko reasoned that it was because he was the first fire-bender who they'd ever actually met who hadn't been trying to attack them, or take them as prisoners. Usually people from Zuko's land were seen as invaders, thugs, even terrorists by the people of the other three nations. Actually, two, now; Zuko reminded himself. In his zeal to uncover the whereabouts of Aang, Zuko's great-grandfather, Sozin completely exterminated the Air-Nomad civilization.  
In Zuko's mind, this was one of the most heinous acts which his family specifically, and his country as a whole, had to answer for. Aang did not seem to hold Zuko personally responsible for this, and whether or not it was his influence, neither did his friends, no they weren't his friends, Zuko realized in a flash of insight; they were his surrogate family. Replacing the Air-nomads and everyone else he had lost more than a hundred years ago. In addition, it seemed like they were willing to adopt the banished prince as another member!  
After dinner, everyone helped with the cleanup, and then they gathered around the campfire and talked and joked amongst themselves; to listen to them, Zuko thought, you'd never know they were in hiding, on the run from the Fire-Nation. In addition, for now, at least, they were on the losing side of a war! Zuko kept his distance from the little group, even though they seemed to have forgiven and accepted him, especially after helping them defeat the assassin. In spite of the fact that the night was cold, and getting colder, he didn't feel he had the right to be in the presence of this happy little group, around the warm fire. After a little while, they each retired to their sleeping bags or makeshift tents for the night. Therefore, he sat in the dark, alone with his thoughts.


	3. Regrets and Revelations

Chapter-3  
Regrets and Revelations  
(Set during Zuko's first evening with the 'Gaang')  
Presently, Zuko heard light footsteps on the gravel behind him; he did not need to turn to know who it was. Only one person could walk so lightly across rocky terrain that it barely made a sound.  
"What is it, Aang?" It still felt odd, addressing the kid as a person, not as the Avatar, but he was getting used to it.  
Aang seemed to take note of Zuko's discomfort, and said "Thanks for using my name again, I really appreciate it. I was just wondering why you're over here, in the cold and dark by yourself?" Zuko thought about the question for a second or two and then answered, only half-truthfully, "I know some of your friends are still kind of uncomfortable around me."  
"Is that all there is to it?" Aang asked, clearly not fooled by the prince's attempt to evade the question. The kid was smart; Zuko had to give him that.  
"Alright, I'm not completely comfortable around them; all of your friends have been hurt by my countrymen, in some cases, by me personally!" "How can I ever expect them to forgive me for that?"  
Aang gave that some thought, gave him a small smile, and answered, "You just need to give a little time, I guess. They might not be able to forgive, or forget right away, but it'll happen eventually." After finishing this statement, Aang again hugged Zuko; trying to comfort him. This time it didn't feel so awkward, and Zuko returned the gesture.  
"Can I ask YOU a question, Aang?" When the younger boy nodded, the teen continued, "I noticed you seem uncomfortable being referred to by your title; why don't you like being called Avatar? I would've thought you'd consider it an honor."  
Aang gave him a half sad, half scared look, and answered, "I just like people to think of me as ME, not as this miraculous person who's supposed to somehow save the world, end the war, and bring balance and peace!"  
"Why does being the Avatar bother you so much?" asked Zuko; He was genuinely curious, maybe even a little concerned.  
"Well," began Aang, "When I was first told by the elders at the Southern Air temple that I was the Avatar, everyone began to look at me differently." "Eventually, the other boys even refused to let me join in their games, saying it would be an unfair advantage to whichever team I was on." The little Avatar shuddered a bit and turned his face away from Zuko, so the prince wouldn't see the tear running down his cheek.  
"That wasn't even the worst of it; that came when I overheard the elders telling my guardian, Monk Gyatso, that I'd have to be separated from him; to be sent away to the eastern air temple in order to begin my avatar training!"  
Aang was sobbing in earnest, at this point, no longer trying to hide it. Zuko said nothing; he just put a comforting hand on Aang's shoulder and let the outburst run its course. After a minute or two, Aang composed himself enough to speak again. "I couldn't believe they were really going to send me away, tear me away, from everything and everyone I'd ever known! I also couldn't believe that all of my friends were treating me like a stranger, just because I was the Avatar!"  
Aang continued, "That night, I packed some things, snuck out of the temple, and got on Appa and left." "We ran into a storm, and were forced down into the sea. I think I must have gone into the Avatar state, because I'm not sure how this happened; but I managed to bend a bubble of air and water around us, and then freeze it."  
"I never saw monk Gyatso, or the other Air-benders again. The next thing I knew, I was waking up after Katara and Sokka had found me in the ice; a hundred years had passed and my people were gone. In addition, there was a war between your people and the rest of the world."  
Zuko winced at this last statement, but then looked at Aang's tear stained face; there were no accusations or recriminations there, just sadness and a sense of loss. Suddenly, Aang wasn't the all-powerful Avatar, savior of the world, the one who'd restore peace and balance. He was a little boy, who was lost; and far from the only home he'd ever known.  
At this moment, Aang seemed so very small and helpless, like a young bird that had fallen out of the nest. Zuko couldn't help but feel so sorry for the boy; and he couldn't help but to feel like a bully and a thug for hounding him, chasing him, and terrorizing him.  
"I know what it's like; being torn away from everything you've ever known," Zuko said to the younger boy, "After I got 'hurt' and was banished, all I ever wanted was to go home; but, I couldn't do that without finding the Avatar, that is to say, without finding you.I kind of knew it was a fool's errand, no one had seen the Avatar, or any other air-benders, in a century. But I had to keep looking, if I gave up on even the slimmest chance of finding you, I would have given into despair. I don't know if I could've gone on if that had happened."  
Now, it was the little Avatar's turn to be curious. "How did it happen, your injury and banishment?" he asked; Aang found it hard to believe that any fire-bender could have done this to the son of the Fire-lord, without being banished themselves, or worse.  
He reached up, and gently touched the toughened, brown leathery skin around Zuko's left eye, extending back over what remained of his left ear. Ordinarily, Zuko would have forcefully grabbed the hand of anyone who tried to touch his scar and shoved it aside. However, Aang's touch was so gentle, cool and soothing, and there was such a look of compassion in the young man's eyes, that Zuko allowed the touch, and just gently placed his own hand over Aang's smaller one.  
Zuko began, "I wanted to go into my father's war room one day, where he was meeting with his military advisors to discuss strategy; I thought if I was to eventually lead the Fire-nation, I'd better start learning all I could. The guards at the entrance refused to let me pass. My Uncle Iroh tried to dissuade me from going in; but eventually, he relented and said he would escort me inside. However, I had to promise to just listen and not speak." Zuko paused; he was clearly as distressed over recounting this story as Aang had been about his own tale. Just as Zuko had done for him, he remained a respectfully silent, but comforting presence while the prince composed himself.  
"One my father's generals was proposing a plan to ambush the Earth Kingdom army by putting a division of brand new Fire-Nation recruits on the front lines, where they'd be easily defeated by a more experienced force. Then, made overconfident by their easy victory, the Earth-Kingdom troops would let down their guard. At which point, a much larger, more seasoned, Fire-Nation force would surround them, and wipe them out."  
Zuko had not been looking directly at Aang while he was saying this, but now he looked over to see a shocked, slightly disgusted, look on the boy's face. "In spite of my uncle's warning, I stood up and spoke out against the plan to callously sacrifice loyal Fire-nation troops merely as bait in a trap. In doing so, I had disrespected one of my father's senior generals, and by extension, the Fire-lord himself."  
The prince continued, "Ozai said there could be only one response; an Agni Kai, a fire-duel. The general was an older man, well past his prime, so I thought I could beat him easily. But when I entered the arena, and saw my father there, not the old general; I refused to fight him. I begged for mercy, and said I just had our country's best interest at heart when I spoke out." Zuko looked at Aang again, and could see the horrified look creeping back into his eyes; clearly, the young Avatar could tell where this story was going.  
"My father insisted that I stand up and fight; I still refused. You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher," Was all he said before bending a wave of fire at me, I may have been able to block it, but I didn't. I didn't even try to. I turned my head away and it caught me on the left side, if I hadn't turned, I'm sure my whole face would've been burned.  
After that, I was banished, and given an outdated, run-down old ship, with a crew of less than 'recruiting poster' fire navy sailors, who probably couldn't get any respectable postings elsewhere, and sent to capture you. I was forbidden to return without the avatar. Now you know my story, as well."  
Aang looked into Zuko's eyes, one of them half closed with scar tissue, but both the warm golden color of sunset; even so, they were filled with hidden pain and innocence lost; which Zuko tried to hide between a lot of anger and a fierce demeanor. They were very striking. "Did I really just think that," Aang wondered.  
'Why am I thinking like that,' Aang wondered. The little avatar looked as though he were about to start crying again, but this time they were not tears of sadness, but tears of sympathy and outrage that someone could do this to their own flesh and blood, their own child!  
Aang said, "I'm so sorry, Zuko, I had no idea that the reason you were so obsessed with finding me was to regain the acceptance of someone who was so ruthless he could do this to his own kid;" and again, Aang reached up to gently touch the scar tissue on Zuko's left cheek. "I'm sorry too, Aang, that the last memory you have of your people, the last time you saw them, was such a painful experience."  
The two young men were still and silent for a couple of moments, then on a whim, Aang reached over and embraced Zuko again, and this time Zuko returned the embrace and looked Aang in the eyes. Such deep beautiful, grey eyes, but filled with awful burden and worry, that Aang tried to disguise with a carefree, happy-go-lucky attitude; he didn't fool Zuko in the least, 'Whoa, where'd that thought come from,' he wondered; but dismissed the question. He brought his face close to Aang's, who looked a little nervous, but also a little curious, and without thinking, the prince kissed the avatar! Aang was surprised and a little scared at first, but then the sense of shock and fear disappeared and was replaced by something else, which just seemed so…right.  
For the first time since learning he was the avatar, more than a hundred years ago, Aang felt safe, secure and as if he didn't for once have the weight of the world on his shoulders. Zuko also felt a burden lifted from him. He felt that even if he could never return to the Fire Nation, he still could have a home, and maybe a family, too. The two young benders, each of them running from traumatic pasts sat together holding one another until the first rays of the sun began to show on the horizon. Maybe now, together, they could stop running from their painful pasts, and look forward to a hopeful future.  
Unbeknownst to either of them, Toph had become aware of the two them out on the balcony, she had felt them through her seismic sense, and woken up. She quietly woke Katara, shushing her with a finger to her lips, and both of them had heard most of the conversation; they listened to their dearest friend, as well as his former worst enemy, talking frankly about their pasts with each other. Katara and Toph knew a little about Aang's life before he had become trapped in that ice-burg, but not in too much detail. In addition, until now, neither of them had really cared to know anything about Zuko's past. At that moment, the two girls understood Aang better than they ever had before.  
They also began to understand Zuko, and his obsessive, driven, nature. Just as with Aang's iceberg, Katara found some of the ice around her own heart concerning the prince beginning to melt.  
Then, the two girls became witnesses to something they would never in a thousand years have expected, the Avatar and the Prince of the Fire-nation embracing each other, and kissing! Quietly, Toph and Katara backed away from the balcony not wanting to disturb the two boys; They did not even really know how they'd go about doing so without creating a scene. They both slipped back into their respective tents; but neither of them could fall asleep. In her stone shelter, Toph wondered, 'What were they going to do about this;' while next door, in her sealskin tent, Katara wondered, 'should we even try to do anything about this?'


	4. The Prince and the Peasant

Chapter 4  
The Prince and the Peasant  
(Set During "The Boiling Rock Pt. 1")  
The next morning neither Aang nor Zuko made any mention of their conversation, or anything else, to the rest of their friends. But it was impossible for Katara not to notice the glances they shared back and forth across their breakfast table, nor was it possible for Toph to ignore their heartbeats quickening each time they shared one of these glances, or one of them heard the other's voice.  
While the rest of the group ate, Zuko passed cups of tea around to everyone, when he got to Sokka, the young Water-tribesman looked at him with an expression that told Zuko he'd just come to a big decision. He asked Zuko, "Hey can I talk to you for a second?"  
Without waiting for an answer, Sokka got up and walked away. Zuko didn't say anything, he just followed Sokka outside.  
"So what's up?" Zuko asked.  
"If someone were captured by the Fire-nation," Sokka began hesitantly, gradually growing bolder as he spoke, "Where would they've been taken?"  
"What are you talking about," Zuko asked, "who was taken?" Sokka didn't want to go into too much detail; he still wasn't quite sure he could trust the prince, but he didn't have any other options, so he plunged forward anyway.  
"When the invasion plan failed, some of our troops were taken, I just want to know where they might be."  
Zuko knew where they were most likely to be, and he knew that it was bad. He couldn't tell Sokka, it would just make him miserable. "I can't tell you, Sokka."  
Sokka took a step back, his face darkening. "What, why not, don't tell me that now you're having second thoughts about helping us?!"  
"No, nothing like that," Zuko said quickly, trying to calm the younger teen. "It's just that knowing would only make you feel worse."  
Zuko turned to walk away, but Sokka held him back with a hand on his arm.  
Zuko restrained himself from igniting a lethal fire-bending response, he had to remind himself that he wasn't considered a prince anymore.  
Where he came from, touching any member of the royal family without their permission came with very serious consequences; especially if it was by someone not of the Fire-nation.  
Sokka hesitated when he saw the scowl on Zuko's face. He wasn't as well traveled as Aang, and he wasn't as cosmopolitan as Toph, but even he knew better than to try to put your hands on someone from a royal house. 'Even if the members of that house were a bunch of murdering sons-of…. No you need his help stupid, don't start thinking like that,' Sokka told himself firmly, 'It won't do any good.'  
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't 'a done that, Zuko, but it's my dad, he was captured along with the others. I have to know what I put him through."  
Zuko was puzzled by this, his brief flash of indignant anger forgotten, "What you put him through?"  
Sokka told Zuko the story of his 'failure', "The invasion plan was my idea, and it was my decision to stay when things looked like they were taking a turn for the worse."  
Zuko was impressed, from what he learned of combat tactics from his military tutors growing up in the royal court; the invasion was a brilliantly conceived plan, he would have thought it the work of a master strategist.  
Maybe Sokka really was a lot smarter than he seemed.  
Zuko believed the only reason the plan didn't succeed was because Azula, his harpy of a sister, had somehow obtained knowledge of the invasion ahead of time; and had an ambush ready to go when it began.  
Zuko thought back to his conversation with Aang the night before and how the idea of troops walking into an ambush, to be slaughtered or captured was repellant.  
"My guess," he told Sokka, "Is that they were taken to the Boiling Rock."  
"What's that?" Sokka asked worriedly, knowing from the sound of the place that it probably wasn't pleasant.  
"It's the highest security prison in the Fire-Nation."  
"Where is this place," Sokka asked him.  
Zuko could see where this conversation was going, he huffed and said, "It's on an island in the middle of a boiling lake, you flew right past it on the way here, in fact." Then Zuko realized that there was only one reason Sokka would want to know that, "Why what are you planning?" "Nothing, boy you are way too paranoid," Sokka said in his usual flippant manner.  
Zuko didn't want to argue here, he was sure that there might be some eavesdroppers, namely one well meaning, but overly curious, air-bending monk and one overprotective water-bender with a hair-trigger temper.  
Zuko knew there was much more to Sokka's interest in the boiling rock than he was letting on, he'd have to keep an eye on Sokka, if only to protect him from himself  
Late that night when Sokka snuck past his sleeping compatriots, and climbed up the side of Appa, he was only slightly surprised to see Zuko waiting for him in the giant flying bison's saddle.  
Sokka should've guessed Zuko was on to him, in spite of often letting his temper get in the way, the prince could actually be pretty clever, when he wanted to be.  
In his typical blunt manner, Zuko asked, "Not planning anything, huh?"  
"Alright, you caught me, but you can't stop me, Zuko, I have to do this to reclaim my honor."  
Zuko understood Sokka's motives very well. He also knew from bitter experience, that pursuing such things without a friend to help along the way could be dangerous, possibly fatal.  
At the same time, he vaguely wondered, 'When exactly did I begin to think of Sokka as a friend?'  
"Reclaim your honor, believe me I get it. I'm not going to stop you, I'm coming with you."  
"NO," Sokka said with a little more force than he had intended. He nervously glanced at Zuko, expecting the hotheaded prince to be shooting bursts of flame from his fingertips at having been shot down so abruptly.  
Zuko just looked back calmly, maintaining his cool for once. "How are you going to get there, on Appa?  
The last time I checked prisons don't have bison day-cares, we'll take my war balloon."  
After an hour or so of flying in relative silence, with each of them starting to make conversation, and then stopping themselves awkwardly, Sokka finally broke the ice.  
"Do you mind if I ask you a question", Sokka asked the former prince.  
"What's on your mind, Sokka."  
"What made you decide after all we've been through, all the pursuits and skirmishes, to come and help us?"  
Zuko considered the question for a moment, and said, "I realized the truth of this conflict. In my country, the war is referred to as 'The Great March of Civilization', it was begun by my Great-Grandfather Sozin, in an attempt to spread order and peace over the whole world."  
"While I was traveling around the world with my uncle trying to find Aang, I saw firsthand, that it was all a lie."  
Zuko continued, "This conflict wasn't spreading civilization or culture, or anything even remotely beneficial."  
"It was just barbaric violence and destruction, perpetuated by a murdering family of one military tyrant after another for three generations."  
"Yeah, that sort of thing does seem to run in the family," Sokka thoughtlessly said, before he realized he'd just insulted someone who had offered to help him find his father.  
He had been caught off guard by Zuko speaking about his father and other ancestors with such venom, and didn't think before he spoke.  
"Hey hold on, not everyone in my family is like that," Zuko retorted.  
"I know, you've changed," Sokka said easily, holding up his hands in mock surrender, he always wanted to be the one who tried to dispel any arguments before they got out of hand.  
"I was talking about my uncle, he was more of a guide and a conscience to me than my real father, and I really let him down."  
Sokka noticed that besides his mom, Iroh was the only member of his family that Zuko seemed to think of fondly.  
Sokka tried to reassure Zuko, "I've met your uncle, and so have Toph and Aang."  
"None of us really trusted him at first, but eventually we did learn to trust him and his wisdom. He helped us find you and my sister when you were captured by Azula and the Dai-Li"  
When Zuko thought about that day, he still cringed at what might have been, because he selfishly chose to help his sister just for the chance to go home, where no one really wanted him around, instead of doing what was right  
"He was absolutely certain that there was a spark (no pun intended) of good in you."  
Sokka looked over to see the sour expression on Zuko's face softening. "You left your home to come and help us, and I know from experience it's hard to do that; Almost as hard as being left behind."  
"Your Uncle Iroh would be proud."  
"Thanks Sokka I appreciate it, but believe it or not it wasn't that hard to leave the Fire Nation, not this time."  
Sokka had been told by his sister what she had seen last night, and wasn't sure if he should bring it up, but now a window of opportunity had opened, and he took it. "Really, there was no one special you left behind?"  
"Well I kinda had a girlfriend, Mai."  
It took a lot of effort for Sokka to keep his pai-sho face intact. "That gloomy girl with the knives, who sighs a lot," he asked.  
"Yeah," responded his companion with a slightly wistful expression.  
"Why do you look so shocked," Zuko caught Sokka's expression, and called him on it, "You think she's more than I could handle?"  
"No-no, it's nothing like that; it's just…" 'Damn, Sokka, you've just made a connection with this guy, don't piss him off now,'  
"Just what?" asked Zuko. Sokka was reluctant to continue the conversation, but he started this. Now, he had to finish it. "I just kinda thought you were the sort who…"  
"Who what, Sokka?" barked Zuko, clearly becoming agitated.  
"Who likes guys" Sokka finished his sentence. Zuko's already pale skin blanched even whiter, Sokka thought he was about to puke over the side of the basket, or pass out.  
"You saw us, the other night, Aang and me didn't you?"  
In order to spare the prince any further embarrassment, Sokka decided not to tell him that it was actually Toph and Katara who witnessed it. Instead, he simply said, "Yeah, I did, but I didn't mean to spy or anything."  
Sokka added hastily, "I just woke up and went to the little warrior's room, and then, on the way back, well you know."  
"I sort of had a feeling about Aang, despite the way he's always looking at Katara with those big puppy-ferret eyes, but I wouldn't have thought you were 'that way'."  
"Such things aren't that uncommon in the Fire-nation particularly among the nobility, but it's not usually talked about. I'm guessing you don't approve," Zuko asked, deadpan, but it wasn't really a question.  
"I didn't say that," Sokka replied, "Even in my little village in the south I knew of that sort of thing, I had a friend 'like that'. The others made him live on the outskirts of the village, like he had some kind of disease."  
"Don't tell Katara about this, she'll never let me live it down, but I used to bring him food, and supplies when no one was looking."  
"But I'm just not sure how it's possible between you and Aang, with our history."  
"You know, you attacking us, us evading you. It isn't exactly like there was a lot of time for socializing, or romantic dinners."  
Zuko had to smile in spite of his best efforts not to, Sokka definitely tried too hard to get a laugh sometimes, but occasionally he could be genuinely funny.  
"Well, it really started awhile back, if I remember right Aang said you and Katara were sick, at the time." Sokka's face took on a slightly green shade as he recalled, "Yeah, Aang left and went to go get us these frozen frogs to suck on to bring down the fever, or something like that." Zuko had to suppress another grin at that one. "How'd you know about that," Sokka asked curiously.  
Zuko shrugged and said, "It's a long story."  
Sokka decided to let well enough alone, and was going to drop the matter when Zuko began,  
"My sources told me he was captured by Admiral Zhao while he was away from you guys, this news made me pretty desperate."  
"If Zhao was the one who took him back to the Fire-nation then my only chance of ever going home would be gone."  
"Knowing this," Zuko continued, "I came up with a plan to sneak into the prison where Aang was being held and broke him out."  
"As we were escaping an arrow struck me, if I hadn't been wearing a mask it would have pierced my forehead and killed me."  
"As it was I was knocked out cold, Aang could've left me there, and Zhao would have taken me prisoner and left you guys alone. On top of that, it would have virtually guaranteed that I'd no longer be able to chase you."  
Sokka gulped at the implications and finality of the last sentence.  
Zuko continued, "Aang somehow managed to lift me, and he carried me into the forest nearby, when I came to, I expected to be waking up in a prison cell. Instead I found myself in a woodland glade. It was morning, and he was still sitting there, watching over me while I was unconscious."  
Zuko looked over to seen a stunned expression on Sokka's face, "Aang never told us about any of this Zuko, but I knew something had to have happened while he was away he was exhausted, his clothes were dirty and torn, and there was blood on them."  
Zuko digested this information and then continued, "The fact that he stayed there by my side when he could have easily escaped, really impressed me."  
"He risked his neck for someone he barely knew, and who's only goal up to that point, had been to make a war trophy out of him."  
Sokka actually found himself growing to like Zuko as he spoke and wondered if Aang never mentioned it because he thought he, and especially Katara would have reacted badly.  
"Aang was talking about the friends he used to have, you know, before the war, and how much he missed them." "He wondered if he and I could have been friends, had we known each other back then. I should have answered him then, and saved us all a lot of pain."  
"But instead, in my usual stupid hotheaded style, I sent a fire blast at him, to chase him away."  
Zuko saw Sokka's face darken a little in anger at this admission.  
"It was a low-power blast not really aimed, I knew he'd be able to evade it easily."  
"He got to me, and was actually the first person besides my mother and my uncle who'd ever shown me any compassion, or even the least bit of sympathy. I suppose I started to feel a little bit of sympathy for him as well."  
"I guess that's why I let him go. It was that one event, more than anything else that got each of us thinking about how our tortured pasts shaped our present. And I guess it's how we started to think, on some subconscious level, that maybe there was some future for the two of us somewhere, somehow. That's what I think led to what happened the other night."  
Sokka was quiet for a full two minutes after this, it was the the longest Zuko had ever known him not to speak. Not that Zuko really knew Sokka all that well, yet. Finally, Sokka spoke "I know this is gonna sound odd, but I'm happy for you guys."  
'That was unexpected,' Zuko thought, "What do you mean?" he asked Sokka.  
"Aang really needs some stability in his life," Sokka explained, "He needs a family, and so do you, you can be that for each other."  
"It's funny you should say that," Zuko said "That first night I joined you guys, I realized that you weren't Aang's friends."  
Seeing a confused look on Sokka's face, Zuko continued, "You were his family, you replaced the Air Nomads, and everyone else he left behind a hundred years in the past."  
"But I would have thought you would've wanted Aang to be with your sister, I know how close the two of them are."  
"Aang and Katara are very close," Sokka admitted, "But it isn't romantic between them."  
"As you said, Zuko; they're family, practically brother and sister in their own right."  
Zuko considered Sokka's words for a moment, and then said, "I hope Aang realizes how lucky he is to have a friend like you."  
Without missing a beat, Sokka quipped,  
"I suppose you know that makes you pretty lucky now, too."


	5. Prison Break

Chapter-5  
Prison Break  
(Set During "Boiling Rock Pt. 1 & 2")  
Sokka and Zuko made it to the island in the middle of the boiling lake just after midnight with only a slight hitch. Once the balloon was over the heated air coming off the volcanic lake, it no longer had any buoyancy, and they began to plummet! They just barely made it to the island, the basket of their balloon skimming across the surface like a skipped stone, until it came to rest on the island.  
"What are you doing," Zuko whisper-shouted, when Sokka shoved the remains of the balloon into the boiling water and watched it sink.  
"It doesn't work anyways, and we don't want anyone finding it," Sokka whisper-shouted back. "I suspected we'd have a problem keeping it in the air over the boiling lake; I knew we'd have to find another way off this island!"  
Zuko couldn't believe what he was hearing, his uncle always said that he rushed into things without thinking them through, but this was madness! "You KNEW this would happen, and you came anyway? You're just making this up as you go along aren't you? Uncle Iroh always said I was too impulsive; but this is just nuts!"  
Sokka had been expecting Zuko's arguments, and was prepared with answers to them. "One: I always think things through, but it hasn't always worked, so I decided to improvise this time. Two: I had to come and know for sure if my dad was here, no matter the risk. Three: I never wanted you to come along. In the grand scheme of things, I'm not that important, if I didn't come back from this, it wouldn't matter much."  
"But you are important, Zuko; if you weren't around to support Aang, and teach him fire-bending, not only would it probably be impossible for him to defeat the Fire-lord and win this war, it would most likely crush his spirit as well!"  
Zuko found himself completely dumbfounded by the forcefulness in Sokka's voice; he was also caught off-guard by Sokka's unexpected humility. Finally, Zuko was in awe of Sokka's unexpected faith, not only in his ability to prepare Aang, the Avatar, for his greatest challenge yet; but also in Zuko's ability to love and support Aang, the person, come what may!  
"Sokka, I didn't mean…"  
"I know, Zuko; forget about it."  
They got into the prison using a combination of Sokka's tenacity, along with his instinctive engineering, and tunnel-rat skills; and Zuko's speed, stealth, and ability to get into even heavily guarded places with little or no commotion. Getting back out would be the real test of their abilities.  
The two of them found themselves a couple of prison guard uniforms, and went about trying to find out if there were any Water-Tribe prisoners in the facility. It did not take the two boys long to come up dry. They met on a walkway overlooking the main courtyard of the prison.  
Zuko looked around to be sure they were out of earshot of any guards and said, "I checked around the lounge, there aren't any Water-tribe prisoners here, that anyone knows of Sokka; but supposedly there is going to be a new 'delivery' sometime this afternoon."  
Sokka said, in frustration, "No, if he's not on this shipment, I've failed, again!" Zuko tried to think of something inspirational that his uncle might have said; nothing came to mind, at least he couldn't think of anything that made much sense.  
Just then, Zuko realized Sokka had become very excited; he was leaning over the railing, so precariously that Zuko had to rush to pull him back in before he went over the edge. "Maybe, I haven't failed," Pointing to a female prisoner in the courtyard, sitting by herself, Sokka said, "That's Suki!"  
Zuko wasn't sure who Suki was, but she was obviously very important to Sokka. Zuko thought she looked completely out of place and helpless in the yard full of ruffians. Then, Zuko noticed a number of very large, very angry looking prisoners glaring at her, but also giving her a very wide berth. From the looks of the black eyes, bruises, and splinted arms, and legs on the men, Suki was more than able to hold her own.  
Sokka rushed off with Zuko hot on his heels. The two of them began making plans to get themselves and Suki off the island. Later, Sokka managed to slip into to Suki's cell unnoticed, just to reassure her that help was at hand. The two of them were overjoyed to be reunited, and for the first time in a long time, they both had reason to be hopeful again. Before they were discovered together, Sokka gave Suki a kiss and told her to sit tight; he would come and get her when the time was right to make their escape.  
He met up with Zuko in a quiet corridor at their prearranged rendezvous time. "Sokka, Zuko said as calmly as he could, I heard that a Water-Tribe prisoner showed up with the new arrivals. He was being bullied by the warden, but the man held his own and apparently thoroughly humiliated the warden at the same time."  
"That sounds like my dad, alright," Sokka said. The two of them rushed off to try to determine which cellblock the man was assigned to, and if it was actually Sokka's father, Hakoda.  
Sokka was elated when they discovered the Water-Tribe man really was his dad!  
Unfortunately, before they could make their escape plans a reality, Zuko was found out by the warden; He was locked up like one of the prisoners, and the warden said he intended to turn Zuko over to the Fire-lord for a reward. Sokka knew he had to act fast; otherwise, neither he, nor his father, nor Suki and Zuko would ever get off the island alive!  
After doing a little reconnaissance around the perimeter of the prison, Sokka came up with a plan, and if it worked, they would all get off the island without many problems at all. He found his father and friends in the prisoners' common area, apparently assigned cleaning duties, they were all holding mops.  
He came to them and gathered them into a corner and stage whispered, "Oh good, you've all met." The three of them looked at each other, and then at him, and then at each other again. His Father and Zuko asked him simultaneously, "We have?"  
Suki provided the answer, "Actually, I have met you before," shooting Zuko a glare.  
Sokka bit his lip, thinking 'This could get ugly.' Zuko clearly did not remember her, without her uniform and war paint. Sokka's father, Hakoda looked lost, at this point.  
"You kinda burned down my village," Suki snapped in the general direction of the prince.  
"You're from Kyoshi?" Zuko asked her, with shame in his voice. She nodded, but remained silent; catching Sokka's nervous glances around the lounge to be certain they were not attracting attention.  
Hakoda whispered to the kids, "Will somebody please fill me in here?"  
Sokka explained, "Dad this is my girlfriend, Suki. She's the leader of the Kyoshi warriors, and she is going to escape with us." To her, Sokka explained, "Suki, this is my father, Hakoda."  
"Dad, Suki, this is;" here Sokka closed his eyes and took a deep breath, opened his eyes, and whispered, "Prince Zuko of the Fire-nation." Both Suki and Hakoda looked at Sokka as if he had lost his mind.  
"Don't worry," Sokka quickly told them, "Zuko is on our side now, and he's my friend." Sokka emphasized the last two words, so his Father and Suki knew that Zuko could be trusted. It was also to let Zuko know he had earned Sokka's friendship and forgiveness.  
"I never would've made here to find you without his help," Sokka explained to them.  
"It's a pleasure to meet you both, on good terms this time," Zuko said, giving a small smile to Suki.  
Sokka's father first gave a hug to Suki and made a wry comment about Sokka having good taste. Then, he extended a hand to Zuko, "It's a pleasure to meet any trusted friend of my son's."  
"It's an honor to meet you, sir." Zuko replied and at the same time realized that there had never been all that many people who had ever rated an automatic 'sir' from him before.  
Sokka began to get nervous, prisoners and guards did not normally stand around in corners having friendly conversations. They had to speed things up. "O.K., listen, we're going to unbolt one of the coolers and roll it into the water, they're insulated to keep the cold as well as fire-bending prisoners contained, right?"  
"Yeah," the three of them said in unison, they were still not quite certain Sokka had not lost his mind. "Well, that insulation makes it the perfect boat for getting across the boiling lake."  
Suki, Hakoda and Zuko shared glances, and Hakoda confirmed his son's theory, "It could just work." "But wouldn't they just sink the cooler, or drag it back here with one of their harpoon guns?" Suki asked, looking toward Zuko, and Zuko nodded, confirming that that was exactly what they would do.  
"They probably would do just that," Sokka agreed, "In fact; I'm counting on it, because that is our decoy, our real way off is going to be to be on the gondola. We'll ride it out to the rim of the volcano, hijack one of the Fire-nation airships moored there, and then bing-bang-boom, we're home free!"  
"What's to stop them from just cutting the gondola lines?" Hakoda asked his son. Sokka answered, "Because we're going to take the warden as our hostage; they wouldn't dare cut the lines with him on board." One by one, they grinned and Zuko said, "Way to think things through, Sokka!"


	6. Homecomings and Reunions

Chapter-6  
Homecomings and Reunions   
(Chapters 6-8 Set between "Boiling Rock Pt. 2" & "The Southern Raiders") 

It was just after sunrise as the hulking airship sailed toward the Western Air Temple, the youngest member of their little family, 'The Duke' was the first one to see it. He had asked if he could feed Appa that morning. As he was carrying bundles of hay to the bison which stayed just outside the temple, 'The Duke' noticed that Appa was apparently listening to something. Whatever it was, it had the big beast spooked. A couple of seconds later, 'The Duke' himself heard it, and then he saw it. The sight put cold fear into his heart and he now knew why Appa was so upset!  
'The Duke' had seen these things dropping bombs on the invasion force on the day of the eclipse, he had also seen them wiping out whole Earth Kingdom towns from the sky! As quickly as his short legs could carry him he ran back inside to tell Katara and Aang what was heading their way. Aang and Katara looked at each other Aang fearfully, Katara with rage. "I knew it, Zuko sold us out captured Sokka, and now he's coming to finish the job!  
Aang was less vindictive, but no less worried. "We don't know that Katara, what if Zuko kept his word, but he and Sokka were both captured and forced into giving away our position?"  
"Well either way, everyone get ready for anything!" Katara shouted to the rest of their band.  
Toph and Haru used their earth bending to prepare stone projectiles to fire at the airship once it was in range while Aang readied his glider and Teo had Haru help him attach the glider wing to his wheelchair in order for them to go out and confront them in the skies.  
Katara used her water bending to fill her hip flasks to repel any incendiary attacks from the giant ship's huge fireball cannons, and to douse the flames of any shots that got through. The ironically named giant warrior, 'Pipsqueak' armed himself for battle and told 'The Duke' to find cover.  
Just then Aang's flying lemur, Momo started chattering excitedly. Momo leapt off his perch and soared towards the advancing airship. "Momo, no;" shouted Aang, he wasn't about to lose another member of the team!  
Aang hopped aboard his glider and took off after the little creature. As he neared the huge dirigible, Aang understood the reason Momo was unafraid. It was because Zuko and Sokka were flying this thing! Summoning his Air-bending to amplify his voice, Aang shouted down to his companions that the coast was clear, it was just their friends returning.  
With some difficulty, Sokka maneuvered the mammoth vessel close enough to the temple that it could be tied down, allowing the docking ramp to be extended and the passengers to disembark.  
Sokka and Zuko came out, and Katara rushed to her brother, hugging him. "What are you doing in this thing, where did you two go?"  
"We kinda went to a Fire-nation prison and staged a break out," Sokka said proudly, and gestured back toward the airship.  
At this signal, Suki and Hakoda stepped off the ship.  
"Hi, Katara," said her father, with unmistakable emotion in his normally even voice.  
Hakoda embraced both of his children tightly, and held them for a long time. Then, Sokka went to Suki, and hugged her just as tightly as his father had hugged him.  
Zuko stood off a slight distance from the reunited family watching them, he didn't want to interfere, but it did his heart good to know that in this war-torn world there could still be joy. It was also gratifying to see this family brought back together and to know that not all families were as fucked up as his was.  
He was startled out of his thoughts when felt a cool, surprisingly strong and at the same time, very gentle hand grip his wrist. He had imagined feeling it there since the night he and Sokka had left on their quest. Now, it was there for real.  
"Thanks for helping Sokka reunite their family," said Aang, who was standing beside him and looking up at him curiously, as if reading his thoughts. "Are you okay, Zuko?"  
"Yeah Aang I'm fine," he said in a husky voice.  
"I'm just glad that there can really be happy families, and that the way my family acts, isn't how it always has to be."  
Aang's smoky grey eyes looked into Zuko's golden ones and the avatar spoke with utter conviction, "Sokka and Katara are my family now, and I want you to be part of that family too, Zuko."  
Again, Zuko found himself smiling; he had done more of that in the last week since joining Aang and his group than he had in the last three years. He had found happiness again and he had found a home again.  
That evening, their little family celebrated the safe return of two of their members they feared they would never see again. It felt good, in this chaotic time of war and sadness to be able to celebrate anything, really.  
The party went on late into the night, finally winding down sometime well after midnight. The rest of the group retired to their tents or sleeping bags for the night. Once again, Zuko found himself alone in the dark with his thoughts. He detected the barely audible footsteps of the Avatar, it didn't annoy him, or make him nervous, the way it did the first night Zuko joined the group. It just made him feel warm inside.  
"What is it Aang, couldn't you sleep either?"  
"No, I couldn't" Aang said, "I was thinking about what we talked about earlier, about families. Do you think we should tell them that you and I have become you know, close?"  
"Well, Aang, while I was away with Sokka, he told me he already knows; and that he's happy that we're happy. I'm pretty sure his sister knows too."  
Aang blushed, and gulped a little, at this. "What about the others," he asked. Zuko replied, "I'll leave it up to you, if you feel comfortable with it, then I'll tell them with you. If not, we'll wait until you're ready."  
Aang heard some stirring behind them, and realized their conversation might end up waking the rest of the sleeping group. He asked, shyly, "Do you want to take a walk, Zuko?" He offered the prince a helping-hand up, "Sure," Zuko said softly, once more smiling gently at Aang.


	7. A Spirit World Journey

Chapter-7  
A Spirit-World Journey  
As the pair of them walked through the darkened corridors, Zuko created a small flame to light their way. He encouraged Aang to do the same, as a fire-bending exercise. Zuko knew it was relatively easy, if energy intensive, for a fire-bender to create large bursts.  
It was much more difficult; and required a great deal more discipline, to create a small, precisely controlled flame. Aang took a deep breath, concentrated, and after a second or two was able to produce a tiny, but bright, wick of fire. Zuko nodded approvingly down at Aang, who was a very gifted student.  
Without even realizing where they were going, they found themselves in front of a huge, ornate door. It reminded Zuko of the door to the sanctuary of the Avatar in the fire temple. That door had an elemental lock, meaning only a master fire-bender, or five lesser fire benders could open it. This door had a similar mechanism; designed to open only with air-bending.  
Zuko realized that it made sense that they would have those in the temples of the other nations as well. "Is this the temple sanctum, Aang," he asked Aang; who nodded his head. "I've never been inside one, not even in the Fire Nation," Zuko told him; "Do you suppose…" "I could let you see it?" Aang finished his thought. 'He's getting good at that,' Zuko mused, and nodded at his companion.  
Motioning for Zuko to take a step back, Aang collected himself, focused, just as he had when he made the flame, and then forced a powerful blast of air through the openings on either side of the door. The two of them heard the tumblers inside the great door turn, and slowly, it began to open.  
Zuko stepped inside, and gasped in awe, there were rows upon rows of statues, in concentric circles; all of them were representations of past avatars. The one nearest to the door was that of a tall, somber looking man dressed in the robes of a Fire-nation nobleman. "Avatar Roku," Zuko whispered with reverence.  
Aang nodded, confirming that it was indeed, a statue of Roku. "What do you know about him, Zuko?" Aang asked, figuring the prince probably had some good insights into Fire-nation history. "He was my great-grandfather, Aang." "WHAT? I thought Fire-Lord Sozin was your great-grandfather!" "On my father's side, yes he was; but Avatar Roku was my maternal great-grandfather."  
Aang's jaw dropped, he had not felt this stunned since he found out he that he was trapped in that iceberg for a hundred years. Zuko continued, "They were friends, who had grown up in the royal court together. Then, after Roku discovered that he was to be the next Avatar, and once Sozin had been crowned as the new Fire Lord, they had a falling out. Sozin tried to spread the Fire Nation's power over the rest of the world, and Roku was forced to stop him."  
Aang then jumped in and said, "Many years later, there was a huge volcanic eruption on Roku's home island; Sozin came to help, but then he saw a chance to make his plans a reality," clearly he knew this tale! Zuko nodded and completed the story, "Roku was overcome by toxic gasses, and Sozin left him to die. How do you know about this, Aang? I had to dig through the secret archives in the catacombs beneath the royal palace for hours just to find out."  
Aang was not quite sure how he was going to say this, "Well, you see, Avatar Roku himself, told me." Now, it was Zuko's turn to be stunned. "How is that possible?" Zuko asked, incredulously. Aang explained it to him, "Do you remember when you caught me at the North Pole?" "Yeah, kidnapping an unconscious child, it was not exactly one of my shining moments." Zuko replied sullenly. Aang bristled a bit at Zuko's use of the word, 'child', but let it go. "I wasn't unconscious, Zuko; I had crossed over into the spirit realm. When I'm there, I can speak to Roku, Kyoshi, or any of the other previous incarnations of the Avatar."  
Zuko thought, 'Once again, Aang has managed to surprise me,' and then said, "I had no idea you could do that, Aang! It must be amazing there; and to be able to experience history through the eyes of the past Avatars would be incredible!" "Some of it can be a little strange and terrifying," Aang told Zuko, remembering his encounter in the spirit-world with Ko, the 'Face Stealer'; "But most of it is incredible!"  
Just then, the little Avatar had a flash of inspiration. "Would you like to see it, and meet Roku, Zuko?" "Aang," Zuko reminded him patiently, "you may be able to cross back and forth between the mortal and spirit realms, but I certainly can't." Aang said "I think I may have a way to take you with me," and smiled at the prince.  
Zuko sat down on the floor heavily, almost moved to tears; "You would do that, Aang?" he asked in a small voice. Once more, Aang's grey eyes peered deep into Zuko's golden ones. "If it were anyone else, Zuko, probably not; but I will do this for you."  
Aang assumed a lotus position, and indicated that Zuko should do the same. Then, Aang took Zuko's right hand in his left hand, and placed his own right hand on the back of Zuko's head. Aang instructed Zuko to take several deep, cleansing breaths, and to relax and release all of his thoughts, worries and fears; they were now irrelevant.  
Ordinarily, Zuko would never have been able to make his mind this calm, to quiet the inner turmoil he often felt; but in this place, with Aang at his side, it was possible. Aang's tattoos began to glow, and suddenly his eyes opened wide, revealing a brilliant blue-white light. At that same moment, Zuko felt a surge of energy going from Aang's right hand directly into his mind; and then, going from his right hand into Aang's left hand to complete the circuit. Zuko's own eyes went wide and shone with a golden light as bright as the sun.  
At first, Zuko felt as if he was caught in a whirlpool; then as if he were floating in the air, finally it seemed as though he were being pulled apart into millions of tiny pieces and put back together. The environment around them had changed. It looked like the woodland glade where Aang had brought him after he was knocked out during their escape from Zhao's fortress.  
The difference was that everything here looked washed out, like faded clothing, or a watercolor painting. He looked down at his hands and body, to make sure he was, in fact, whole. He realized with a shock that he was and, he wasn't! He had form, but he did not seem to have substance! It looked as if he had become translucent, and that he was glowing with a faint reddish-gold light. He turned and saw Aang beside him, in a very similar state, except that his glowing aura was a pale blue-white color.  
"Aang," Zuko asked; noting that like his form, his voice had changed. It seemed flat, and, at the same time, had a resonant sound here, "Are we in the spirit world?" "Well, it's a representation of the spirit world." Aang's voice had the same weird tonal qualities as Zuko's did.  
"What do you mean?" Zuko asked. "It's different each time I come here," Aang told him; "it sometimes appears to be someplace I have been where I felt safe and comfortable, in the real world; more often, it appears as someplace I have to go to in the real world. I don't think anything here actually has a form as we understand it."  
"So how do we find Roku?" Zuko asked. Aang looked at him, smiled wickedly, and said, "You might want to brace yourself, Zuko; Hei-Bai!" Aang shouted into the forest. "Aang, what're you…," Zuko's question was cut off as something huge came crashing towards them through the forest.  
Zuko demanded to know "Aang, what is that, who, or what is Hei-Bai?" Suddenly an enormous, six-legged black and white demon reared up above the tree line, breathing blue fire. At least that is what Zuko saw. What Aang saw was also a huge black and white creature, but much more benevolent in nature. It had the appearance of a bear (not a platypus-bear, or a skunk-bear), just a bear.  
Instinctively, Zuko shoved Aang behind him, and was about to summon his fire bending to protect them. "Relax, Zuko, it's okay; by the way, bending doesn't work here." Aang said calmly. "Hei-Bai, how's it going, buddy?" "That's Hei-Bai?" Zuko asked him. "What is it…he, whatever?" Zuko asked Aang, nervously. Zuko still saw the creature in its six-legged, demonic form.  
"Hei-Bei is the spirit of a forest in the Earth kingdom; he was upset because the forest he protected was burned down, by, uuh;" "By fire-benders," Zuko finished his sentence glumly. "Um, yeah," Aang said awkwardly, "He began attacking a nearby Earth-kingdom town, because he thought they were responsible for the destruction. I was able to convince him that the village wasn't at fault, and that the forest would someday return."  
Aang spoke loudly to the creature, "Hei-Bai, I have come to see Roku; this is my friend, Zuko. He's not like the ones who hurt your forest." Aang put one glowing blue hand on the Hei-Bai creature, the other on Zuko's forehead; instantly, Zuko saw the creature in its less threatening, more benign, form. Hei-Bai pointed his snout in the direction they had to go. Then, just as suddenly as he appeared, he vanished. This was quite a surprise to Zuko, but Aang didn't seem fazed by it at all.  
"So now what," Zuko asked. Aang pointed in the direction Hei-Bai had indicated, and replied cheerily, "We head that way to Roku, silly!" "Ugh, I don't believe this," Zuko mumbled under his breath. "What was that, Zuko," asked Aang. "Nothing," was the response.  
Chapter-8


	8. Wisdom and Warnings from Roku

Chapter-8  
Wisdom and Warning from Roku

Aang and Zuko walked until they reached what appeared to be a little pond in a beautiful arboretum surrounded by tall, red marble walls. Zuko gasped, "This is my mother's garden at the royal palace! I see what you mean about the spirit world looking like a place of safety and comfort in the real world."  
"Roku," Aang called, "Are you here?" Avatar Roku's spirit appeared beside the pond in the same spot, Zuko noticed, where he used to sit and feed turtle-ducks with his mom. "Hello, Aang," Roku said in a gravelly, yet warm, voice that reminded Zuko of Uncle Iroh, "It's good to see you, and you have brought a guest."  
Aang bowed and replied, "It's good to see you, too, Roku. This is Zuko, he's my friend, and…" "And my great-grandson," Roku completed the sentence and smiled at Zuko.  
Until now, Zuko felt too flabbergasted to do anything but stare, but when he saw the spirit of Roku smiling down at him, he managed to pull it together. "Avatar Roku," Zuko said, bowing, "I am truly honored to be in your presence."  
"It is an honor to meet you, Zuko," Roku said, "It pleases me that history has come full circle. This war began because an Avatar and a Fire-lord of the past failed to resolve their differences before it was too late. Now you, Aang, will restore balance and peace to the world; and you, Zuko, will restore the honor of the Fire-nation, and of our family. And you will do it together. The shadows of the past will be eliminated by the light that the two of you bring to the present and will carry with you into the future." Roku looked down at them and said knowingly, "You have my blessing." Aang and Zuko looked at each other, smiled, and then simultaneously turned and bowed to Roku. "Thank you, Avatar; no, Great-grandfather Roku," Zuko replied.  
Roku took on a somber tone, "But now, I have a word of warning, Aang do you remember what I told you about the comet?" "Yes, Roku, it gave great power to Sozin's Fire-benders; He used that power begin the war by launching his assault on my people, he destroyed the Air-nomads," Aang said, with great sadness in his voice. Zuko felt a pang of sympathy as he heard Aang say this, and placed a comforting hand on Aang's shoulder.  
Roku continued, "I believe that Ozai will use its power this time to bring an end to the war." Roku looked meaningfully at Zuko, "He's right, Aang," Zuko told him, "My father will use the comet's power, along with their airship fleet to destroy the Earth-kingdom."  
Roku told them, "You must defeat the Fire-lord before he can achieve that objective." Aang asked, "What if I'm not strong enough, Roku? Since I got hurt in Ba-Sing Se, I haven't been able to access the Avatar State." Zuko looked at him, stunned by this information. "You will find a way, Aang," Roku assured him, "and you will have Zuko and all of your other companions to help you. We must go our separate ways for now, but we will see each other again. Farewell, Avatar Aang, you are the hope of the future; great-grandson Zuko, you are the redeemer of the past." The two of them bowed once again to Roku, and then clasped each other's hands.  
They felt their spirits transition back to the physical world, Zuko took a deep breath and it dawned on him that the entire time he was in the spirit world; he had not actually drawn a breath. He and Aang looked at each other, smiled, and embraced just before they passed out from the exertion of traveling in tandem between worlds.


	9. What Once was Lost, Now is Found

Chapter-9  
What once was lost,  
Now is found.

(Set immediately prior to "The Southern Raiders")

Sometime, in the middle of the night, Toph woke up in her earth tent. She was not sure why, or what, but something did not feel right. She could not figure out what it was until her Earth-bending seismic-sense made her aware of what was wrong. She could feel the heartbeats of Katara and Sokka, as well as their father. She could also feel Teo, Pipsqueak, Suki, The Duke and Haru. Two members of their group were missing; the two who, in Toph's mind, were probably the most important to the success of their mission!  
Toph immediately left her tent and went to Katara's to wake her. "Wha…" she asked irritably, "Toph, it's the middle of the night, go back to bed!" "Katara, we've got a problem," Toph said urgently. This brought Katara fully to consciousness. "What is it," she asked Toph with fear in her voice. "Aang and Zuko are missing!"  
The two girls quickly woke the others. "Do you think they were captured," Teo asked the group, as a whole. Sokka and his father were examining the ground, and then they looked at each other. Hakoda informed them that was no sign of a struggle. "Besides," Sokka added, "If someone came to kidnap them in the middle of the night; no matter how stealthy they were, Toph would have known about it." "Snoozles has a good point," the young, blind Earth-bender agreed.  
Just then, Momo started to chatter wildly, as he stared into a darkened corridor. "What's down there," Hakoda asked his son. "I'm not sure," Sokka answered, "I've never fully explored the temple."  
"I have," Teo told them, "The air temple sanctuary is down there. It has a door that only an Air-bender can open, so Aang's the only one who should be able to go in there." "Well, Momo seems to be on to something, let's check it out," said Sokka's dad. The group got to the sanctuary doors, with Hakoda and 'Pipsqueak' leading the way with torches.  
Once there, they discovered the doors slightly ajar. 'That probably meant that at least Aang was inside, if what Teo had told them was accurate,' Hakoda thought. The giant, Pipsqueak, handed his torch to Hakoda, and using his immense physical power, pushed the door open wide enough for the whole group to enter at once. The sight that met them was unexpected, to say the least; Katara, in particular, was un-nerved by what she was seeing.  
Sitting in the sanctuary, in front of the statue of Avatar Roku, were their two missing friends. Aang had Zuko's right hand in his left hand; and had his right hand on the back of Zuko's head. Both of them had their eyes wide open. Aang's glowed blue; Zuko's had a golden-red glow. 'Aang couldn't have taken them both into the spirit world, could he,' wondered Katara.  
At that moment, Zuko and Aang simultaneously took deep inhalations, and the glow faded. The two of them looked at the other tiredly, Zuko hugged Aang; and then, they both collapsed! The worried group clustered around the two of them and Katara used her healing abilities to diagnose their friends. "It's okay," she reassured them, "I think that whatever they just experienced left them worn out; but otherwise they're fine." Hakoda and Sokka lifted Zuko, and Haru picked up Aang, then their assembled company headed back out to the main chamber.  
Gradually, Zuko felt himself returning to a somewhat fuzzy stage of consciousness; everything he had experienced in the spirit world was still a jumble. 'It's going to take some time to sort it all out,' he thought to himself. Then, he remembered; "Aang!" he shouted and tried to sit up, this only brought a wave of nausea. Gentle, yet firm, hands held him down, and he heard Katara's voice trying to calm him. "Take it easy, Zuko, you're back with us." Zuko heard her, but could not see her.  
There was an indistinct bluish-brown blur in his unfocused vision that he could only assume was Katara. "Ka-Katara, is that you?" he stammered, "I can't see clearly." "Your vision should return in another minute or two. Whatever you and Aang experienced left you virtually exhausted." Zuko asked, "Aang, how is he?" worried for his safety. "He's still unconscious, but otherwise he's alright. It's my guess that he should come around any time now as well."  
"What where you two guys doing Zuko?" Zuko identified the voice as belonging to Sokka. He turned toward the sound; this time the image was clearer, he could just barely make out Sokka's features. "Ooh," Zuko groaned, the movement had caused a horrendous headache! "Sokka," came the voice of Hakoda, his and Katara's father, "Why don't we let Zuko rest, for now. When Aang regains consciousness, and if they feel up to it; then they can tell us what happened."  
"It would be helpful if everyone just left, for now," Katara said, "let's give them some privacy to recover. I'll keep you all up to date on how they are doing." Zuko still could not see her clearly, but gave a small smile of gratitude in the direction of her voice. "Thank you, Katara," he said. "I'll let you rest now, Zuko."  
"Katara, wait," Zuko said as slowly and softly as he could, to avoid more headaches and nausea. "Aang and I will tell everyone later, but I want you to know what happened first." "Zuko, you really don't…" she began. "Yes, I do, you deserve at least that much," he told her. "I realized that Aang can give me something that I haven't had in a very long time, a family, and somebody who will love me, unconditionally." Zuko thought Katara was about disagree, but the arguments died unsaid. "He loves you a great deal, doesn't he?" she asked Zuko. "Yes, I don't know why, but he does. He should hate me, for everything I've done to him, and for all the pain my family is responsible for; but, for whatever reason, he doesn't."  
Katara heard the raw truth in Zuko's words, and for the first time she saw the pain and sadness that Zuko normally hid behind an angry demeanor and his scar. "He loves you a great deal, too, Katara. He could not do what the world needs him to do without your support." Katara was almost moved to tears by Zuko's forthrightness; "Thank you, Zuko," was all she could think to say. "He took you into the spirit world with him, didn't he?" She asked. "Yeah, he did, and he introduced me to my great-grandfather, Avatar Roku." "You're the great-grandson of both Sozin and Roku?" she asked him. "I am," he replied. "It was their falling out which began the war, and Roku said that me and Aang coming together can end the war, redeem the Fire-nation, and restore peace."  
There was movement on the cot next to Zuko's; Aang was beginning to come around. "You should rest now; he's going to need you when he wakes," Katara told Zuko. She rose and left him to recuperate, as she walked through the door, she turned slightly and saw Zuko reach his hand to the cot beside his own, and grasp Aang's hand tightly; even though this development was still a bit of a surprise to Katara, she could not help but to smile.  
Aang and Zuko recuperated for the rest of the morning, finally, just as the group was preparing for their mid-day meal, Zuko made his way out to the main chamber, "Zuko, welcome back to the land of the living!" Sokka quipped. Zuko gave Sokka a weak smile, and a nod.  
However, Katara was not quite buying it. "You shouldn't be out of bed, Zuko." "Yeah," agreed Sokka's girlfriend, Suki "You are looking a little peaked." "I'll be alright; Aang's awake and asking to see everyone." Zuko led the way back to their makeshift infirmary, with only a little help from Sokka and Haru. Aang was sitting up in bed, with a serious expression on his usually cheerful face.  
"Aang, you're okay," Katara said and rushed forward to embrace him." "Hi, Katara, everybody," Aang said with a somewhat less than enthusiastic tone, "We've got some bad news, do you remember what I told you about the comet; it is going to return, soon. If I can't stop Ozai before its arrival, he and his armies will be unstoppable."  
"We'll be there with you all the way, airhead," Toph said. Zuko felt irritated by this, but let it pass, for he knew Toph was just trying to lighten the mood. He moved to sit beside the Avatar; grasped his hand and said, "We'll all be there for you, Aang." There was no mistaking the affection in the prince's voice. This came as a little bit of a surprise to some of the group, but Sokka, Katara and Toph knew what to expect, and had try to prepare them for it.  
"There's more," Aang told them, "It's alright, Aang;" Katara reassured him, "You, more than anyone else, deserve to have some joy and love in your life. If you can find that with Zuko, then we're all happy for you." "You're not upset?" He asked the group as a whole, but he was really addressing Katara. "No way, twinkle-toes," Toph told him in her usual irreverent way, "I'm just glad I won't have to see what your kids are gonna look like."  
Aang and Zuko flushed as red, and hot as any fires they could bend. However, everyone else just laughed, not at them, but with them. "Thank you all, facing Ozai is the hardest thing we've ever had to do together; but with all of us working together, I know we can do it. And, I wouldn't have it any other way." "Let's let Aang rest now," Hakoda said, "We'll all be just in the next room," his daughter added. Zuko caught Aang's eye, and knew that the younger man wanted him to stay. He gave a nod and slight smile and winked with his good eye to Katara.  
"Do you think they're really happy for us, Zuko?" Aang asked him, after the others were out of earshot. "I think that they're happy that you're happy, Aang; you have no idea how much you mean to all of them, and they all feel very protective of you."  
"Zuko, do you think we can actually beat your father, we could barely take Azula together, and he's got to be even worse than she is." "Well, to be fair, Aang, when we fought my sister, we weren't really working together, it was more a question of having a common enemy. This time, we're truly a team." "You know Zuko," Aang said, with a little of the old sparkle in his eyes, "I don't care what anyone says, you're pretty smart." Even Zuko's usually serious face had to crack into a smile to see Aang happy and making jokes again. For the first time, since his banishment, Zuko actually felt, happy, himself!


	10. Azula Strikes

Chapter 10  
Azula Strikes

(Set Between 'Boiling Rock Pt. 2' and 'The Southern Raiders')

Aang and Zuko spent that evening together, eventually drifting off to sleep, side-by-side. For the first time, since either of them could remember, neither one of them had their slumber disrupted by disturbing dreams. Unfortunately, they both awoke to a nightmare, which was all too real!  
It was just after dawn; Zuko always rose with the sun, and Aang rose with Zuko. It dawned on them that the birds, which usually sang from the rafters of the temple, and surrounding cliff sides, had gone silent. Appa and Momo were also unusually quiet. Abruptly, Aang was running toward the edge of the cliff; he used a simultaneous blast of wind and rock to deflect an explosive launched from somewhere below.  
The bomb detonated just a few dozen yards away from the temple. The blast roused everyone just in time to see Aang close the storm shutters, which protected the temple. Zuko, Toph, Katara and Sokka were beside him in a heartbeat.  
"Those shutters won't hold them for long," Sokka shouted over the noise of crumbling rocks. "I don't think it's going to matter," Toph shouted back, "they're going to blast this whole place off the cliff side!" Toph and Haru combined their earth-bending talents to create a tunnel that would take them to the airship Zuko and Sokka had commandeered. They had camouflaged it nearby, but kept it ready to fly, in the event they needed to make a hasty exit.  
Zuko shouted to Sokka and Hakoda, "Get everyone to safety, I'll hold them off; I think this is a 'family' visit!" with that, Zuko raced to a section of the wall that had crumbled and leapt over it. "Zuko, No!" Aang shouted, but his voice was lost in the din of the explosions and stones crashing to the ground.  
Toph and Haru were doing everything they could to keep their improvised tunnel from collapsing, but despite Toph being a virtual master of Earth-bending, and Haru also being highly capable, they could not hold the cave up under this pounding for long! Aang was struggling to get his ten-ton bison into the tunnel, but it was a losing battle; Appa was highly claustrophobic. "I can't get him to go in there, Appa hates tunnels!"  
"Aang, there's no other way out!" Katara tried to reason with him. Sokka said to his father, "Take the tunnel and get to the stolen airship, we'll fly out, and join up with you later!" "NO!" his sister snapped, "The Fire-nation can't separate our family again!" Her father reassured her that it wasn't forever; just a temporary separation.  
Aang, Katara, Suki and Sokka got on the bison, and Toph placed her hand on the wall of stone that separated them from freedom. "I can clear that away, and we can fly out of here!" "There's an awful lot of fire in that general direction," Suki pointed out.  
"We can make it; Sokka, you take the reins," Aang shouted, "I'll give Toph and Katara a hand!" Aang and Toph cleared the tunnel, but left a shield of stone, just large enough to provide cover for Appa, for they knew they'd be flying into fire blasts. After they were free of the temple, Aang and Katara provided a covering envelope of water, while Toph maintained their stone shield up front.  
After they were free of the temple, Aang looked back, sadly. Yet another one of his people's temples, the last monuments of the Air-Nomad civilization was about to be destroyed. Of more immediate concern was Zuko's safety, however.  
Aang desperately looked around for him, but Sokka was actually the first to spot him. "He's there!" he shouted pointing to one of the larger airships. They all looked to where Sokka pointed; and saw Zuko on top of the zeppelin, facing off against his sadistic sister, Azula! The two of them glared at each other, Zuko with a mixture of disgust and sadness, Azula with psychotic fury.  
"What are you doing here," he shouted at her. She smugly yelled back, "Isn't obvious, I'm about to celebrate becoming an only child!" The two of them charged at each other, building enormous blasts of fire as they ran; hers were icy blue flames, his were a brilliant orange. They met in the center of the airship, there was an enormous burst of flames as his fire met hers; but the force of the impact threw them both back. Both of them flew down the curving sides of the ship, Azula tumbling to starboard, Zuko to port.  
Just as when Zuko fell off the cliff when he fought 'Combustion Man', Aang nearly had a heart attack as he watched the prince plummet down. The difference this time was that there were no nearby vines on which to grab and save his life!  
"SOKKA," Aang screamed. "I'm on it, Aang," his friend yelled back, reassuring him. Sokka pulled on the reins, directing Appa up to the left, and then, curving down into a steep dive which would take them below Zuko. As soon as they were underneath the falling prince, Aang used his air bending to nudge the prince just a little on his course; and then he and Katara reached up with tendrils of water and pulled him down into the saddle! Zuko sagged to his knees between them, and then embraced them both. They all looked back to see Azula still plunging downward.  
"She's, not going to make it." Zuko said simply, with a touch of melancholy in his voice. As if she heard him, and just had to prove her brother wrong; Azula shot out blasts of blue fire from her hands and feet. She used the flame-bursts as rockets to propel her toward the cliff-side, and thus, saved herself.  
"Of course, she would make it." Zuko now said the earlier sadness in his voice replaced with sarcasm. He felt a hand on his shoulder, he turned, expecting to see Aang; but was surprised to see that it was actually Sokka. He and Aang had switched places; Aang was the one most capable of steering Appa. Zuko saw camaraderie, and understanding in Sokka's blue eyes. Despite every horrible thing Azula had done, she was still Zuko's little sister; just as Katara was Sokka's. Sokka would not wish for anyone to see his sister die that way.  
They flew on, not sure of where they could go, that Azula would not follow them. Zuko inched his way forward, he was still somewhat shaken up from his fall, and he had never been all that comfortable moving around while Appa was in flight. He moved tentatively toward Aang, and sat down in the forward most part of the saddle. He could not bring himself to go out and join Aang on Appa's head, sitting between the giant bison's horns.  
"Aang, I've got an idea, I think I know one place where we can go that nobody would think to look for us." The young avatar looked back and smiled at Zuko, he knew that Zuko was not much on flying, but he appreciated that he was willing to make the effort to come out here and give him this news. "I'm so happy that you're safe, Zuko; When you fell off the airship back there, I was terrified." "It was pretty terrifying from my point of view, too, Aang," said Zuko The young Avatar couldn't help himself, Zuko rarely made jokes, and even though it probably wasn't his intention this time; it was funny. Aang laughed, and so did everyone else. Zuko blushed, but smiled at his friends. No, he corrected himself, just as he had realized the first day with the avatar's group; they were Aang's family, and now they were his family, too.  
"Zuko," said Sokka, as the group stared at the large beachfront villa "I don't want to tell you how to do your job, but there's no way we're going to be safe here!" "I don't think we've got anything to worry about, Sokka," Zuko answered him. "But, we're hiding from the Fire-lord in his own summer house," Suki said, to support her boyfriend.  
The prince explained, "Our family hasn't come here since we were actually happy; and that was a long time ago." He noticed everyone looking at him with concern, especially Aang. 'This always happens when he starts thinking about his messed up family,' Aang thought.  
Katara seemed to notice the change in mood, as well; "Are there any specific rooms we should take, or stay out of, for that matter," she asked, in order to change subjects.  
"No, not really. The Fire-lord's suite is on the north side of the third floor; the opposite rooms are my mother's, I want those," Zuko answered her. "In between, are rooms that were used by me, my sister, and other members of the royal family. The second floor rooms are all guest rooms, I think. You can take your pick."  
Zuko easily broke the lock that was keeping the doors secure, and went inside. He found himself lost in a flood of memories that came crashing down like a tsunami. He was caught up in reminiscences that he didn't even realize the rest of the gang had followed him inside. "Are there any lights?" Suki asked. "Aang," Zuko said, indicating the lanterns on the wall. The two of them centered themselves, and within less than half a minute, they had used fire bending to bring a warm glow to the old house. The others were very impressed, they knew that Zuko could do this, of course; but it was surprising how far Aang's fire bending had come in a short space of time.


	11. New Living Arrangements, Some Downtime and a Tough Choice

Chapter 11  
New Living Arrangements,  
Some Downtime, and a Tough Choice

(Set Between 'The Southern Raiders' and 'Sozin's Comet Pt. 1')

As the gang settled into their new temporary quarters, Zuko came out to the courtyard in the center of the building, where Aang had laid out his sleeping mat. "Why are you out here, Aang? There are plenty of rooms in the house."  
"The Air-Nomads always slept outdoors whenever possible, Zuko," Aang explained, "My people always liked wide open spaces, and tended to avoid enclosed areas." "I guess that would make sense," Zuko said; "Fire-benders tend to like open spaces as well," he explained to Aang, "unless you use caution, fire-bending indoors can have unfortunate consequences."  
"Even outdoors, it can away from you," Aang agreed; "do you remember what I told you about burning Katara, the day you arrived?" "Yes, I do;" Zuko replied, "I didn't want to ask about the details, you seemed so distraught over it."  
"Well, I guess it couldn't hurt to tell you, after all, we're kind of, I don't know dating, aren't we," asked Aang, in an almost naïve sounding way. "It sounds like a silly way to say it; but I don't know what else to call it, so I guess so," Zuko replied.  
Aang told Zuko the story of his very first fire-bending lessons, "I met a fire-bending master, a former general named Jeong-Jeong, who had left the Fire-Nation." Zuko nodded, he'd heard rumors about a high-ranking deserter shortly before his own exile. "He tried to instill in me a sense of patience and discipline. I was over-eager, and totally impatient, so I wouldn't listen to him. I tried to imitate a move that a Fire juggler had demonstrated at a local festival; I lost control of it. The fire got away from me, and Katara threw up her hands to protect her face."  
Here Aang paused and looked at Zuko, he reached his hand up to touch the burned side of his companion's face. "Katara's hands were badly burned, Sokka was furious at me, and at Jeong-Jeong. Luckily for all of us, Katara discovered her healing abilities shortly after; and, within a few minutes, she was alright again." "After that," Aang continued, "I never wanted to fire-bend again."  
"Fire-bending, in and of itself, isn't something to fear, Aang." Zuko explained, "It's a power that must be controlled, and used wisely, just like any of the other bending disciplines. It can be wild, and unpredictable, but no more so than strong winds, earthquakes, or waves in the ocean. I know you to be an excellent air-bender, I've also watched you practicing your water and earth forms with Katara and Toph. If you can master those forms, you can master fire, as well."  
"Wow, Sparky, I'm impressed," Toph's voice said; "You almost sounded like your Uncle Iroh, just then." Zuko and Aang spun around to see Aang's other two teachers standing there behind them. Zuko pretended to be mad, "How long were you two standing there spying on us?" He tried to put a little of the 'old Zuko's' scowl into it, but there was a hint of a smile on his face.  
Katara caught the smirk, and Toph sensed Zuko's mood, and the three of them along with Aang began to laugh. Sokka and Suki, hearing the laughter came to see what was up. They found their friends doubled over with cackling and belly laughs. "Who would've imagined, ten months ago, you guys sitting around having a laugh with old 'hot-pants' over there!" Sokka joked, joining in the fun. "Sokka, be nice," his girlfriend gently chided, pretending to swat him on the head. "Who's ready for a day at the beach," Sokka asked.  
Just then, a blast of thunder split the air. "So much for our day at the beach," Sokka said with equal parts disappointment and sarcasm. As the downpour began, everybody gathered back inside and played pai-sho, or explored the mansion. Aang realized that Zuko did not accompany them; and went to look for him.  
Aang found Zuko in his usual place, that is to say off on his own, out on the porch. "I thought I'd find you out here, Mr. I wanna be grumpy and as far away from people having fun as possible." Zuko favored Aang with a not quite smile, and said, "I was just thinking." "About what, Zuko," Aang gently prodded. "About my family, what happened to my mom, where we went wrong, that sort of thing; I don't know if we're going to be able to defeat my father without taking his life, Aang." Honestly, Aang had considered that possibility, himself; and, it was not something about which he liked to think. "Do you really think it'll come to that, Zuko?" "I think it's a possibility you should be prepared for, Aang."  
Another blast of thunder rattled the house. "Zuko, I've never told anyone this, but ever since I was caught in the storm after leaving the air temple, I've been afraid of lightning." "How would you like to learn to redirect lightning, Aang?" Aang's face lit up at the suggestion. "You know how to do that?"  
"Uncle taught me the technique," Zuko informed him, "And it's certainly something that would be useful to know when dealing with either Ozai, or Azula." "And, I think it'll be easier for you to learn than it was for me, because it is a technique based on water-bending." Aang's face lit up again. It always amazed Zuko, how easily Aang could go from being depressed or afraid, to experiencing seemingly boundless happiness.  
"Lightning is a pure expression of fire; it isn't dependent on anger or other emotions" Zuko said, repeating the words of his uncle. "When you allow the energy to travel along this line, down the arm, through the stomach, up and out through the other arm." "The stomach path is crucial, Aang, If the lightning passes through your heart, it can be fatal!" "Have you ever used the technique, Zuko?"  
"Only once, on the day of the eclipse; my father charged a lightning attack at me, and I redirected it back at him." "What was it like?" Aang asked "Terrifying and exhilarating at the same time." You feel so powerful, holding so much energy in your body, but one mistake, and it's all over." "Well there's always Katara, some spirit water and her healing hands." "Actually, Aang;" Katara, who had just come back out to the porch informed him, "I used the last of the spirit water, after Azula shot you in Ba-Sing-Se." "Oh," the young avatar said, in a voice barely above a whisper. "Aang," I know you aren't a violent person, and you've never taken a life," Zuko told him; "But, you just may have to take Ozai's life before he takes yours!" Katara watched, wide eyed, Aang looked at her, and saw that she was leaning toward agreeing with Zuko on this.  
Aang wanted to shout at his companions for suggesting such a thing, the idea of taking a life was abhorrent to him! "I can't just go around wiping out people I don't like, Zuko. This goes against everything I was taught by monk Gyatso, it's a violation of everything my people stood for!" "Then don't," Zuko said, quietly, and simply. "I spent so long trying to reclaim what I thought was my destiny." "What I didn't realize is that you create your own destiny, out of the choices you make." "Whatever you need to do, I'll support you; and, so will Katara, Sokka, and all the others." Zuko spoke with such conviction, that Aang knew it to be the truth. Zuko was not generally one for public displays of affection, but without shame, he put an arm around the little avatar. "Thanks, Zuko, Katara; knowing that you'll support me, no matter what, makes this all seem a little less scary." "Isn't that why you put me on the payroll in the first place, Aang?" Zuko asked in another of his rare displays of humor. Aang gave them a weak smile of gratitude; however, he also understood that they just may be right about this. "Thanks, guys, would you mind giving me some time to think?" Zuko and Katara nodded, and Zuko said, "We'll be in the library, if you need us, Aang."  
Aang heard the rain starting to let up, and decided to stay on the porch to try to meditate. He had been out there for about half an hour, or so he guessed; it was hard to keep track of time when he was in a deep meditative state. He heard the door to the house open behind him. He heard the deliberately measured footsteps, and picked up the faint odor of charcoal and smoke that always accompanied a certain fire-bending prince. "What do you need, Zuko?"  
"Nothing, I just came to see how you were doing." Zuko seemed to be very critical of himself for what he perceived as his lack of social skills; but Aang noticed that he always managed to say exactly the right thing at the right time. "Would you just please stay here, for a little while, Zuko?" Aang asked. "Sure," was all Zuko needed to say. Aang knew with absolute certainty; that regardless of what the next several days brought their way, Zuko would always be by his side, providing a quiet, and strong; core of support. Aang thought, 'I've never been in love, I wonder if it is like this for everyone?'


	12. Where's our Avatar?

Chapter 12

Where's our Avatar?

(Set During 'Sozin's Comet Pt.2')  
Zuko sat there, with one arm draped around Aang for some time, eventually, they both drifted off to sleep. The first thing Zuko became aware of was the feeling of warmth he always got when the first rays of sunlight fell upon his face. The second thing Zuko realized was that his companion was no longer present. He smiled slightly, thinking Aang went inside to prepare breakfast or something equally silly, but charming.  
Zuko was greeted with the sight of the rest of their friends coming downstairs, or out of the first floor bathroom. Katara looked around, and then at Zuko, "Where's Aang, wasn't he with you?" "I thought he came back inside," Zuko replied, his voice raised slightly.  
Sokka and Suki walked in looking somewhat sheepish, they had clearly spent the night together. However, they both immediately noticed a sense of urgency charging the room. "What's wrong?" Suki asked her boyfriend's sister. "We can't find Aang, she told them," concern straining her voice.  
Zuko immediately took charge. "Everyone spread out; search the house, and the beach!" It took all of twenty minutes for them to come up negative. "Do you think he ran away again?" Toph asked. "No," Sokka told her, "his staff and Appa are still here." "Well, then what do you think happened, oh great detective?" The blind earth-bender asked sarcastically. "Aang disappears before an important battle," Sokka said smugly, "it's pretty clear he's on a spirit world journey." Zuko pointed out the hole in Sokka's theory, "If that was the case, wouldn't his body still be here?" "Oh yeah, I forgot about that part." "So, what do you think we should do, Zuko?" Katara asked, and Zuko became uncomfortably aware of four pairs of eyes turning in his direction. "I'm not sure, why are you all looking at me?"  
"Well," Toph explained, "you are kind of the expert at tracking Aang." "Yeah, what do you think we should do," Suki added her voice to Katara's question. "There is one other person who might be able to help us deal with the Fire-lord and Azula, I think I know where to find him, but we've got to head for the Earth-Kingdom right away."  
Within thirty minutes, everyone was packed and ready to go, Appa was saddled and they were heading at the bison's best speed toward the great wall of the Earth-Kingdom's capitol, Ba-Sing-Se. Sokka asked, "Zuko, who is in the Earth-Kingdom that you think can help us, there's certainly no way Aang's there."  
Zuko explained his plan, "On the day of the eclipse, I went to the prison in which my father had locked up my uncle." "He had already gotten himself out, disabling several guards along the way;" "They said he was like a one man army!" "I believe that he is going there to retake Ba-Sing-Se from the Fire Nation."  
"How is he going to do that on his own, no matter how formidable he is?" Katara asked. "I don't think he's going to be alone, have you ever heard of the Order of the White Lotus? Zuko asked them. He was met with grins from their assembled company. "When we meet up with them, I'll find out what their plans are, and if they can spare anyone to help us in the Fire-Nation." "One way or another, we're going to end this war soon!"  
Their group arrived at the wall of Ba-Sing-Se just after sunset. Zuko said "We should camp for now, and pick up the search in a few hours." Their group wanted to keep looking for Aang, but they had to admit, they were tired, and could use a short break, at least.  
Zuko, Sokka and Toph began setting up camp, while Katara and Suki began preparations for a meal. Just as their meals were ready, and everyone settled in to eat, a vast rumbling sound interrupted their repast. Toph was the first to react, she was aware of the disturbance several seconds before the others. Huge pillars of earth interspersed with jets of fire sprang up around them. The group was quick to react, everyone dropped into a defensive stance almost immediately.  
Just then, a familiar cackling laugh split the air. Sokka and Katara recognized it immediately, everyone else found it a little off-putting. "Well, what have we got here?" the voice behind the laugh asked. "Bumi," exclaimed Katara, "We're so glad to see you!"  
"What's going on, we're surrounded by old people," Toph asked. "These are all great masters and friends of ours, Toph," Katara explained. Sokka and Katara recognized all of the faces, Bumi, the eccentric old king of the Earth-Kingdom city-state of Omashu, Piandao, the Fire-Nation's premier swordsman and sword-maker; who was Sokka's teacher, Jeong-Jeong, Aang's first fire-bending master, and Paku, of the Northern Water-Tribe, Katara's water-bending teacher.  
"We're all part of the same ancient secret society," the master swordsman and sword maker; Piandao said. "The White Lotus," Sokka asked. "That's the one;" old Bumi said. "The Order of the White Lotus transcends the division between the nations, and has always been about truth and beauty and justice;" General Jeong-Jeong added. "A few months ago," said Piandao, "word was sent out that we were needed for something important." "It was sent by your uncle, a Grand Lotus," Paku said, "Iroh of the Fire-nation." "Where, where is he?" Zuko asked, hesitantly. Piandao pointed to a large tent in the center of the order's compound, "He's in there, Prince Zuko."  
Zuko waited outside the tent, he knew his uncle was on the other side; however, he could not bring himself to go in. The last person he expected to come and try to offer support walked towards him. "What's wrong, Zuko," asked Katara. "He hates me," Zuko said, referring to his uncle, "He was always looking out for me, and I stuck a knife in his back!"  
She asked him, "You're sorry for what you did, right?" "More than anything I've ever done in my life!" "Then he'll forgive you; Sokka and I were really mad at you too, remember? Now, we know that you didn't really want to hurt anyone, and we can't imagine not having you as our friend. You've come as far as any of us during the last year, Zuko; farther than most, in fact."  
"Thank you, Katara, that means a lot, coming from you," Zuko told her, sincerely. "I'll be waiting here, if you want to talk some more," she told him. Zuko hesitated at the flap of the tent for just a few seconds, and then went inside. "Uncle," the prince whispered into the darkened tent. The old man was just waking up from a nap. He became aware of his young nephew in the darkness behind him. Zuko was silent for a handful of heartbeats while he tried to find the words to express what he was feeling.  
Before he could say anything, Zuko found himself caught up in a fierce embrace that his uncle threw around his shoulders. "Uncle," he asked in a voice thick with emotion, "how can you forgive me so easily?" "I turned my back on everything you tried to teach me; I turned my back on you!" "I thought you'd be furious." "I was never angry with you, Zuko," Iroh told him; "I was sad because you'd lost your way, and I was worried that you were going to lose yourself." "I did lose myself, and my way, uncle," Zuko admitted. "But you found the right path again, and you found your way here, to me again, Zuko; and," Uncle Iroh continued, "You did it by yourself, on your own terms, you've finally learned to determine your own destiny."  
"I didn't do it all by myself, I could not have done it by myself," Zuko told Iroh; "Had it not been for a lot of guidance from you, and a lot of help from some new friends." Zuko went to the tent flap and motioned for someone outside to come in.  
"Uncle, you kind of know each other already, but I'd like to introduce you properly; this is my friend Katara; Katara, my uncle, General Iroh." Katara smiled at the old general, "It's an honor to finally meet you, Zuko's told us a lot about you, and how much you've meant to him over these last few difficult years." "It is a pleasure to properly meet you, Miss Katara." "May I assume you are here with the young Avatar and the rest of your companions?" "Actually, uncle," Zuko told him, "That's one of the reasons we're here; Aang is missing."  
Iroh was disturbed by this news, for two reasons; One, the disappearance of the avatar was very troubling, in and of itself. The second reason had more to do with the way Zuko said it, there was a great deal of anxiety behind his words. "Perhaps, you should start from the beginning;" the wise general suggested, as he went to put on a pot of tea. "I'm not sure how you're going to react to this, uncle; but I think that… Zuko hesitated, but recovered his resolve when he felt Katara place her hand on his arm; "I've developed a relationship with Aang." Iroh had to admit that he was not completely surprised by this news, but he was surprised that Zuko could admit it so easily. The old general was diplomatic enough not to say it, however. "I see, how did you come to this knowledge, Zuko?"  
Zuko looked at Katara, who nodded in encouragement; and the he said, "After I left the Fire-Nation, I had nowhere to go, so I joined Aang's group." "They were…understandably reluctant to accept me, at first." At this statement, Zuko gave Katara a small grin; and, Iroh let out a soft chuckle. "It took me a while to realize," Zuko continued, "That Aang and I had both been victims of unhappy pasts, and uncertain futures." "When we realized that we were more alike, than different; all the old anger went away, and a connection began to form."

•


	13. Laying the Cards on the Table

Chapter 13  
Laying the Cards on the Table  
(Set During 'Sozin's Comet Pt. 2')

Katara wanted to blurt out the story, but restrained herself. She felt Zuko tense up, and then relax beside her. He knew what she was thinking; and he was glad she did not say it. "It's okay, Zuko" Katara reassured him with a hand on his arm. "Once we realized how similar we really were a relationship began to form between Aang and me." Speaking about the matter in such clinical terms made it easier for Zuko to get the words out.  
"When you say a relationship, Prince Zuko," said Iroh, trying approach the subject tactfully; "I take it that you are referring to more than simple friendship. "Yes, Uncle," was Zuko's blunt answer. "That is not unexpected, my nephew." Zuko looked at Iroh with a dumbfounded expression on his face. "You knew, about Aang and me; that isn't possible; we didn't even realize it ourselves until less than a week ago!" "I've seen the look on your face, Zuko;" Iroh explained; "Every time there was a sighting of the Avatar." "You were still pursuing him, but your motives for doing so had clearly changed."  
Zuko should have known he couldn't have fooled the canny old man. "Now," Iroh asked, "When was the last time anyone saw young Aang?" Zuko blushed, a little; and said, sheepishly, "He...was with me last night, and he was gone this morning."  
Before anyone jumped to conclusions, Zuko hastily added; " We talked late into the night, he was telling me how worried he was about the comet." "He said he was afraid of what he might have to do; what he might have to become, to beat Ozai." Zuko continued, "Eventually, he drifted off to sleep, and I guess I fell asleep beside him there, on the porch."  
Zuko was looking at his feet as he said this, but then he looked up and was surprised to see tears in the eyes of both Katara and Uncle Iroh. "Oh, Zuko; I'm so glad that you were there for him," Katara said, " I've tried to get him to open up about the comet, I think he didn't want to talk about it with me, to protect me."  
"I must caution you, Zuko," Iroh told him, "There may be many, who would not be able to accept this; particularly in the Fire-nation." "In addition, in this time of war, anything can happen; neither you, nor young Aang can afford the distraction." "Nevertheless, I am happy that you've found someone who you can care about, and who will return the affection."  
Zuko nodded his understanding; he knew it would not be any easy road to travel. But, as he once said to Aang, he had always had to struggle to get what he wanted, and that gave him a great deal of inner strength. "Now," the old general continued, "Your friends must be getting worried, let us go and see how they are doing."  
Iroh was right as usual, Sokka was practically beside himself, concerned for what his sister and Zuko were doing for so long inside the tent; not to mention where Aang had disappeared to. The look of relief that came over his face when he saw Katara, Zuko and old Iroh stepping out into the late afternoon sunshine was obvious to all who saw him, he blushed, sheepishly. "Good afternoon, everyone," Iroh said cheerily.  
Their little group set about making their evening meal and were discussing what would happen, should Aang not return. "What if Aang doesn't come back," Toph, always direct, asked the question on everyone's mind. Iroh reassured them that Aang would face his destiny today, as they all would. After this, with absolute seriousness, Iroh told Zuko that he needed to return home, to assume the throne, when Ozai fell. Iroh also warned him that Azula would be there waiting for him; and, that he'd need help dealing with her.  
"You're right uncle," Zuko agreed, "Katara, how'd you like to help me put Azula in her place?" "I'd like that," she replied; "I'd REALLY like that." Katara's brother, Sokka, asked what the destiny of the rest of was to be; if Aang was to confront the Fire-lord, and Zuko and Katara were to fight Azula? "What do you think it is?" the wily old general asked him.  
Sokka answered, "I think that…regardless of where Aang is, we should do whatever we can to stop the airship fleet." Toph put in, "And that means, when Aang does show up to face Ozai, we'll be there to get his back, if he needs us!" Iroh gave them a soft smile, and nodded approvingly at their insight.  
"One thing I don't understand, uncle;" Zuko wanted to know, "Why do you say I should assume the throne; by rights, it should be yours." Iroh looked sagely at his nephew, and said, "No Zuko, were I to assume the throne, history would see it as one brother overthrowing another to seize power; it could make things even worse. It must be someone from a new generation, whom everyone will recognize, and who has unquestionable honor." "Unquestionable honor," Zuko asked; "But, I've so many mistakes."  
"Yes, you have, you've struggled, Iroh replied, "and you have frequently fallen; but you have always picked yourself up and confronted your difficulties with courage and resolve." "That is why it has to be you, and no one else."


	14. Aang Finds an Unusual Source of Wisdom

Chapter 14  
Aang Finds an Unusual Source of Wisdom  
(Set During 'Sozin's Comet Pt.3')

Aang woke, feeling more than a little bit groggy. The last thing he could recall was falling asleep next to Zuko on the porch. He had felt so safe; the fire bender's form gave off warmth, greater than that of a normal person, so even with the cool air coming off the water; there had been no need for a blanket.  
'Or perhaps,' Aang thought, 'It was the warm feelings the two have them had begun to develop for one another, which had contributed to that.' Now that safety was gone, as Aang looked around and realized he wasn't on the porch any more.  
In fact, Aang was pretty sure he wasn't even on Ember Island, any more! That island had had rocky cliffs and forested hills, surrounded by white sand beaches. This place seemed more like a jungle. The eerie thing was, Aang had never heard of a jungle that was absolutely silent. He could hear no birds, no animals in the underbrush, not even the buzzing of insects.  
"Where are we, Momo?" Aang asked, aloud, "Maybe we're in the spirit world. "But, no," he said to his pet, "you can still see and hear me." Aang then gathered his energies, and released a powerful blast of wind; "Besides, my bending works, as well."  
Momo chirped, Aang answered him; I know you can't talk; it's just that pretending to hear you speak helps me to think. Momo chirruped again, "I am going to pretend I didn't pretend to hear you say that!" Aang said and made as if to walk away with his nose pointed upward at an insulted angle.  
Aang made his way to the top of a tall hill, and looked around, to get his bearings. He was surprised to see that he was on an island; and what was even more surprising, the whole island seemed to be moving! Aang and Momo could still see the coast of the Fire-nation, but, it was gradually getting smaller as they moved farther away. 'This doesn't make any sense,' thought Aang; 'How can an island be moving?'  
Aang rushed back down the hill to the water's edge and dove in; as the bubbles cleared he could make out the outline of enormous feet paddling in the surf below the 'island'. He came to the surface for air, and spotted Momo, now sitting on a branch hanging over the water. "It's amazing, Momo, it's the biggest animal I've ever seen! I've got to swim around and try to find its head." With a burst of water-bending, Aang shot himself around of the foremost part of the…whatever this thing was.  
Soon, Aang found himself staring into an enormous and intimidating pair of yellow eyes, which strangely, reminded him of Zuko. 'I hope he's alright', Aang thought to himself. Abruptly, Aang found himself being pushed to the surface on a column of water rising on top of one of the titanic creature's gigantic forelimbs. "Welcome, Avatar Aang, I've been waiting a long time for your arrival," the gigantic creature, which Aang now recognized as a lion turtle, from parchments he'd seen in Won-shi-tong's library, seemed to say.  
Aang did a double-take, "Did, you just…speak," he asked the creature. Again the softly rumbling voice spoke, directly into Aang's mind, it seemed; "I am the keeper of the knowledge of antiquity, I have seen all of the ages of your kind." Aang seemed to consider this, and then said, "If that's true, then you know of the hundred years of war." "Yes," the lion-turtle rumbled, sadly; "I also know that you have lost your connection to the energy of the universe."  
"Know that you have not permanently lost that connection, you've just forgotten how to find the path." Aang was stunned to hear this, and asked, "How am I to find it again?"  
"How did you find it the first time, Avatar Aang?" The lion-turtle asked. Aang replied, somewhat hesitantly, "Guru Patik told me that I had to let go of my worldly connections; to allow my spirit to be free, in order to enter the avatar state." "Very good, you are wise for one so young," the lion turtle telepathically communicated. "However, since you are not looking to discover that mystery; but, to rediscover it, you must find a different path."  
Aang asked, "What is this other path, how will I know it?" "You already know it; you just may not realize it." Aang found himself completely baffled, at this point. "What does that mean?" he wanted to know. The lion-turtle replied, "Now, you must discover what your strongest connection to the world is, in order to properly serve the world."  
Aang was uncertain what that meant, "How am I to know what that is?" "From what, or whom, do you draw solace and strength?"The lion-turtle turtle asked into his mind. Aang's thoughts turned to Katara, Sokka, and Toph and how much they had gone through over the last year. They were his family, and had been a source of great strength, and joy, to Aang. But now, there was one more face that came to his mind unbidden, and it was more prominent than the others. It was a face that Aang had once feared in his most terrifying nightmares, and which he now saw in his most intimate dreams; "Zuko," Aang whispered. "Yes," the lion-turtle softly rumbled into Aang's mind. "He is your source of inspiration and strength, just as you are his, focus on your affection for him; and his for you and you will always find strength."  
"Will that be enough to defeat Ozai?" Aang asked the lion-turtle. The lion turtle touched Aang's forehead with a single massive claw, and Aang heard it rumble, "If your spirit is strong enough, young Avatar, you can achieve anything. The true mind can weather all the lies and illusions without being lost. In the era before the avatar, we bent not the elements, but the energy inside us. But only the most indomitable spirit can force Ozai's black spirit to yield to purified light." As Aang listened to the lion-turtle, he saw images from the distant past; he saw people using the technique of spirit bending, and understood what he had to do.


	15. Heading For The Final Showdown

Chapter 15 (Part 1)  
Heading for  
The Final Showdown  
(Set During Sozin's Comet Pt. 3)

Although Zuko, Katara, Sokka, Toph and the others were concerned about Aang, they were about to go into the biggest fights of their lives; it was that on which they had to focus, now. Zuko and Katara were on Appa, they were going to the Fire-nation capital to confront Azula; Sokka, Suki and Toph were on the back of a giant eel-hound, they were going to intercept the airship fleet. Finally, Iroh, Paku, Piandao, Bumi and Hakoda, along with the rest of the order of the White Lotus; readied themselves for the Ba-Sing Se campaign. They all shared a wistful glance around at the others; they each knew that there was every chance that they might never see some of these faces again. There was too much to say, yet it did not need to be said. Everyone could see their sentiments mirrored in the others' faces. Then, they all went to do what had to be done, to face their destinies.  
As Zuko and Katara rode upon Appa toward the islands of the Fire-Nation archipelago, she glanced over at him and saw Zuko staring off into the distance, deep in thought. "It'll be alright, Zuko," she reassured him, "Together, we can handle Azula." "I'm not worried about my psycho sister," he told her, "I'm worried about Aang, we don't even know where he is, though I'm sure uncle is right, and he'll return." "I'm worried because while I really respect his dedication to only using force as a last resort, I just hope he understands that using deadly force may be the only option in his confrontation with the Fire-lord."  
Zuko continued, "If he can't, then Ozai will destroy him, along with the last, best, chance for peace in the world." Katara knew Zuko wouldn't say it, but Aang's ability to fulfill his role as the avatar was far from the only reason Zuko feared for his safety; Katara knew it because she shared similar sentiments.  
Many miles away, Sokka, Toph and Suki rode toward the Fire-nation's airship base. They rode quietly, until Toph broke the silence. "I really hope twinkle-toes and the others can come through this alright." No one could ever accuse Toph of being overly sentimental; but Suki and Sokka could hear the unspoken worry in her voice.  
Sokka reached behind him and grasped Suki's hand, and she in turn took one of Toph's hands; "We know how you feel, Toph," Suki told her. "We're concerned about Aang, Katara and Zuko, as well." Sokka didn't feel the need to say that he was just as worried about the safety of his own group as he was about that of his sister, his best friend, and the exiled prince; he was sure though, that the same thought was on the minds of Suki and Toph.  
As the Order of the White Lotus stood before the great walls of Ba-Sing-Se, several of their members spared a glance to the western sky. Hakoda and Iroh were thinking of the children they had raised. Iroh had thought of Zuko as his own son since the passing of Lu-Ten, and Sokka and Katara had been Hakoda's whole world since his wife died.  
Piandao, Bumi, Jeong-Jeong and Paku hadn't raised any of the kids, but they had been their teachers, mentors, and friends. Like Iroh and Hakoda, they too were concerned, and looked to the west; where the young heroes would be heading for the fights of their lives. But now, the White Lotus had their own battle to fight, they could see the sky reddening; the comet was upon them, and they were all about to head into the inferno.  
Author's note: I know that Hakoda was never seen with the members of White Lotus liberating the city, but we didn't see him again until the end. I'm just inferring what I think he was most likely to be doing during the final battle.  
Chapter 15 (Part 2)  
Enter the Phoenix King  
(Chapters 15-17 Set During 'Sozin's Comet Pt. 3')  
The largest of all the Fire-nation's airships was moored on the dock of the royal harbor. It was adorned with a large golden dragon's head upon the bow. Firelord Ozai and Princess Azula stood before it along with two Fire Sages, and a host of The Imperial Fire-benders, the official bodyguards of the royal family. "Is everything ready to go, father?" Azula asked Ozai. Ozai frowned at the way her voice wavered, slightly. He had been noticing an increasingly erratic pattern of behavior from his daughter, lately, and decided to leave her behind. It mattered little to him, he didn't need her; any more than he had needed his weak and sentimental wife, his foolish brother, or his useless son. Ozai would placate Azula with a meaningless gesture, to keep her from interfering with his plans for now; and then deal with her later.  
"There has been a change of plans, Azula," he informed her, "I shall be leading the fleet of airships alone." "But, I thought we were supposed to do this together," she said in a petulant tone. "After all, it was my idea to burn down the Earth-kingdom; you can't leave me behind, you can't treat me like Zuko!" She spat her brother's name, as if it left a bad taste in her mouth.  
"AZULA, silence yourself!" Ozai said. "Listen to me," he said, softening his tone, "I need someone to stay here and look after the homeland while I go to the front. It's too important to trust to anyone else, and because of your loyalty, I've decided to name you as the new Firelord." "Firelord Azula," she said in an almost childlike tone, "It does seem appropriate, but what about you?" Her father said in a grandiose voice, "Firelord Ozai is no more, henceforth I shall be known as the 'Phoenix King'." He knelt down before the fire sages, (the only time Ozai would bend knee to any man); and they placed an elaborate gold helmet upon his head, and draped a scarlet and gold cloak around his shoulders.  
"All hail Phoenix King Ozai!" one of the fire sages proclaimed. At this signal, one row of Imperial Firebenders lowered the banners with the golden crest of the Firelord, while the row behind them raised banners emblazoned with an ominous bird of prey rising from the center of a great pyre. A great trumpet blast sounded as the newly ordained Phoenix King climbed the gangplank up into the great airship. After Ozai was aboard the vessel it slowly began to lift from the dock and went to rendezvous with the other airships now taking flight in the distance.  
As Ozai's ship joined with the other vessels to form a great fleet of dirigibles, he looked around at this testament to his power. His grandfather, Fire-lord Sozin had defeated the Air-nomads; and his father, Fire-lord Azulon, had conquered the Southern Water-tribe and parts of the western Earth Kingdom.  
But none of them had done what Ozai would do today. The great city of Ba-Sing-Sei had defied the will of Fire-lords for two generations. Ozai's face pulled into a tight, predatory smile. With his airship fleet, and Sozin's comet to increase his power ten-fold, he was invincible! Ozai would wipe Ba-sing-se, that impudent city that had mocked his ancestors, from the face of the world. He was Ozai the Phoenix King, it was his destiny!


	16. Airship Assault

Chapter 16  
Airship Assault

Sokka, Suki and Toph arrived on the precipice overlooking the airship base; unfortunately, they were already lifting off for the assault on Ba-Sing-Sei. "OK, so now what," asked Suki.  
"We're takin' off too," declared Toph; then she asked, "Where's the closest airship?" Sokka, forgetting that she couldn't see, pointed and said, "It's right…" Before Sokka could finish his sentence, Toph shouted, "Hang on!" and earth-bended their rocky outcropping towards the great ship. The three of them shot up and came back down to an almost, but not quite, perfect landing on the ship. Sokka, Suki and Toph made their way down a gantry toward the control room of the airship.  
Suki and Sokka took up positions on either side of the entrance, and Toph tapped out a rhythm on the door. When a Fire-nation crewman answered, he and his Captain found themselves slammed into a bulkhead when the steel deck inexplicably warped beneath their feet; courtesy of one Toph Bei-Fong.  
The remaining command crew was rapidly overwhelmed by a beautiful, but never to be underestimated, young warrior from Kyoshi Island; and a gangly looking, but remarkably skilled, young swordsman from the Southern Water-tribe.  
It took Sokka only a few moments to master the controls, this ship was nearly identical to the one he and Zuko had commandeered during their escape from the Boiling Rock. Sokka found the intra-ship 'comms' tube and announced a special assembly of the crew in the bomb-bay; after which he steered the airship down close to the inland sea over which they were flying.  
Once they were close enough to the water, Sokka had Suki take the wheel, and he looked for the bomb-bay door release, and pulled the lever. They could hear the panicked shouts even through the control room doors. There were only a few crewmen left, those who couldn't leave their stations, Toph, Sokka and Suki made short work of them. "Ok, what's our next move, Sokka," Suki asked. Sokka grinned and made a chopping motion with his hand and said, "Airship slice!" Suki looked at him skeptically, and even though she couldn't actually see him, Toph had an expression not unlike Suki's on her face. Sokka explained his plan, "We'll take this ship to full speed, and use it to ram the others in the fleet, and hopefully we should be able to take them all out at once."  
Just as their ship was about to hit the first of the others, huge slabs of stone, and bursts of flame came from somewhere in the distance to slam into the lead ship, Ozai's ship! The engines were smoking and crippled, and Ozai's airship began to slowly go down. "What just happened?" Suki asked; Sokka had a better view through a telescope, and exclaimed "It's Aang, he's BACK!"  
It was indeed, Aang, standing on a stone pillar opposite the Phoenix King's smoking, sinking ship. Aang looked on calmly; there was a glowing serenity about him, as well as grim determination. For the first time since Sokka met Aang; back at the South Pole, the young Avatar actually looked like he fit the role destiny had prepared for him.  
"So, what do we do now," Suki and Toph asked Sokka, in unison. The Firelord is Aang's fight; our job is taking out the rest of those airships!" Sokka told them. The three of them proceeded with the plan as Sokka had proposed it; Taking their ship out of formation, and spiraling back toward the rest of the fleet. Their ship sliced through one, two, eventually six, of the eight remaining ships; before their own ship began to break up. "What now," Suki asked, "We get to the top of this thing; And if we make that far, I'll let you know!" was Sokka's tense reply.  
Sokka Suki and Toph made it to the top of their ship, but its bow broke loose from the rest of the ship. Sokka and Toph were on top of the bow section, Suki, who had been just behind the break fell away on board the rear section of the fractured vessel.  
"Suki, NO!" Sokka yelled in panic, he could well identify, at this point, with how Aang felt as he watched Zuko fall off another airship; back at the Western Air Temple. Suki jumped down to safety on top of one of the last two remaining ships of the fleet "I'll be okay; she shouted back; just keep going with the mission, that's all that counts!"  
The bow section of their ship, which Toph and Sokka still rode, collided with the last of the mighty vessels; Damaging it, but not significantly enough to cripple it. They jumped down to the other ship hitting one of the platforms jutting out from the side of the vessel; from which the fire-benders had used their comet enhanced powers to carry out Ozai's lethal scorched earth attack.  
They landed badly, and Sokka shouted in pain as there was a wet snap from his left leg, and he collapsed; almost passing out from the agony. Adrenaline and necessity forced him to stay conscious, Toph had missed the platform and he caught her by the wrist just before she would have fallen to her death.  
Two fire-benders, each of them tethered to the ship by lifelines came out on to the platforms on either side of Toph and Sokka's ready to burn them down; Thinking quickly, Sokka hurled his boomerang at one of them, knocking him out. Then, equally quickly he tossed his magnificent sword, made from a meteorite, under Piandao's tutelage, at the other platform. It sliced clean through, severing the platform and the lifeline; both the steel plank and the Fire-nation warrior tumbled off into the darkness. Sokka was deeply saddened to see his beautiful and unique, blade falling away into the night, as well.  
Sokka was gradually losing his grip on Toph's wrist; and the pain from his shattered ankle had him losing his grip on consciousness, as well. Two more fire-benders came to the head of their platform; ready to finish what the comrades had tried to do. Sokka and Toph could do nothing, they were completely vulnerable; Sokka had lost his beloved 'space-sword', and even his boomerang did not return, this time. Toph, dangling so precariously, could not metal bend, as she could on a solid deck. "I think this might be the end Toph; we did all we could." Unfamiliar tears stung at Toph's sightless eyes.  
The two firebenders, taking aim at their helpless targets suddenly ran away in panic; as the last of the airships came charging in at ramming speed. It sliced through the lower hull of the ship Sokka and Toph were aboard; crippling it for good. The two of them dropped down to the top of the other zeppelin.  
Again, Sokka shouted in pain, as the landing sent new waves of agony through his left leg. "How'd that happen?" Toph asked, "Did boomerang come back?" Sokka looked up and rejoiced to see a beautiful Kyoshi Warrior, the love his life, steering the ship via the guide wires attached to the rudder mechanism. "No, he told Toph; Suki did!"  
The three of them climbed down through hatch, into the ship; Sokka going gingerly, thanks to his damaged limb. Suki and Toph made short work of the ships' crew; just as they had aboard the first airship. Sokka was unable to help with this, as pain and the onset of shock had him nearly passed out.  
Suki had gleaned the finer points of flying this metal monster from watching Sokka, and took the helm; while Toph found some metallic planks and some bandages to help Sokka splint his injured leg. She then gave him a slug of fire-brandy from the ship's stores, to help deaden the pain a little.  
"What's our next move," Toph asked of both Sokka and Suki. Sokka was in too much of a haze from the pain, and the unfamiliar liquor, to answer; but Suki said; "We're too far away to help the Order of the White Lotus in Ba-Sing Se; so we'll double back towards the fire-nation to give Aang, Katara, and Zuko whatever help they can use." Toph answered in her usual gruff way, "I like the way you think, Suki!"


	17. Battle for Ba-Sing Se

Chapter 17  
The Battle for Ba-Sing-Se

(Set During Sozin's Comet Pt.2 & 3)

The Order of the White Lotus stood before the titanic main gates of the enormous Earth-Kingdom capitol city. Iroh glared at the Fire-Nation banner obscuring the Earth-Kingdom seal on the doors. He, Jeong-Jeong and Piandao were ashamed of what their fellow countrymen had done. Iroh breathed deeply, feeling the comet's energy fill him a sense of great power; the kind of power a fire-bender could only experience once in a century. From a single finger he shot an enormous blast of fire at the banner; it burst into flame, and disintegrated in moments; revealing the symbol of the true masters of the city, not it's usurpers.  
Iroh nodded to Bumi, who snorted and cackled before earth-bending the entire section of the cliff they were standing upon away from the mountainside and hurtling it towards the wall. They crashed through the outer wall; and then the White Lotus leapt into action. The Battle for Ba-Sing-Se had begun!  
Paku made a slide of ice that took Piandao and Hakoda over the inner wall, where the Fire-nation swordsman and the Water-tribe warrior made short work of the enemy infantrymen guarding it. Paku followed them down bending the ice back to liquid in time to create a wave that overturned and washed away a phalanx of Fire-nation tanks that was rumbling towards them.  
Jeong-Jeong, riding aloft on a column of flame; sent a wave of fire at another group of tanks coming from the opposite direction and turned the tank treads to slag, immobilizing them. Two more tanks; and an armored personnel carrier were bringing reinforcements to the battle when they were tossed twenty feet into the air and flipped by huge pillars of stone that erupted from the ground beneath them; courtesy of King Bumi.  
The White Lotus quickly, and methodically, fought their way through the city, section by section. Even the fire-bending defenders, with their comet-enhanced powers were no match for the diversity and fearlessness of the forces arrayed against them. A force which included two fire-bending masters who, even without the comet's influence, were considered among the most experienced and powerful fire-benders in the world.  
Finally, the White Lotus made it to the palace, at the center of the great city. It was the most heavily guarded location in Ba-Sing-Se. Both Fire-nation troops and their Dai-li collaborators came swarming out as the Order of the White Lotus charged in. Despite their superior numbers; the palace's defenders were no match for the formidable expertise of Iroh and his colleagues.  
Once inside the palace, they split into two groups; Iroh, Hakoda, and Paku went to the dungeons to free the people Azula's agents had unjustly imprisoned. Bumi, Piandao and Jeong-Jeong rooted out any remaining pockets of Dai-Li resistance.  
When Iroh and his team arrived at the palace dungeons, they were frankly, shocked at the sight of the prisoners. They looked as if they hadn't seen the sun in months, or years. And, most of them looked as if they hadn't eaten in a while, as well. One of these haggard faces stood out to Iroh. It was wan, and covered with grime, and it had been some time since he had seen her; but Iroh recognized his long-lost sister in-law, Ursa, immediately!  
Like the other prisoners, she was weakened from the appalling conditions in the cells, but a light came back to her eyes on seeing Iroh. "Iroh," she asked; "Is it really you?" "Yes my sister, it is me, and today is your day of liberation.  
The rest of the order didn't waste any time setting the other poor wretches in the dungeons loose while Iroh helped Ursa outside. She winced, and tears came to her eyes in the sudden transition into unfamiliar light. "It is alright, Ursa," he told her, "keep your eyes shielded until they have adjusted, I shall guide you."  
Once he was sure his fellow White Lotus members needed no assistance down in the dungeons, Iroh began treating Ursa's injuries, her wrists and ankles were raw from the tight shackles she had been forced to wear. She had never been an especially powerful fire-bender, but like all members of the nobility in their homeland she did carry the gene for the trait. As such, the Dai-li were taking no chances. They had taken similar precautions with all of their 'bending' prisoners, fire, water, and earth benders alike.  
"General Iroh! Come quickly," Paku's stunned shout came from another cell further down the corridor. Iroh was still supporting Ursa, so he couldn't run, but he moved as fast as his sister in law's battered condition would allow.  
The other members of the White Lotus order, hearing Paku's shout, came also. Like Iroh, they were also supporting rescued prisoners; all of them were wearing tattered, but recognizable clothing of their homelands. There were Fire-Nation burgundies, reds and gold, Earth Kingdom dark and light greens, Water Tribe light and dark blues with white accents. But when they saw the prisoners in the cell Paku was standing near, their minds were too stunned to register what they were seeing for a few moments.  
The White Lotus members as well as Fire Lady Ursa and the other prisoners saw huddled in the darkness of this final cell a group of people wearing garments of dark and pale orange shades. And, even though their hair had grown in, there was a barely visible outline of something in a pale blue shade beneath the shaggy black or brown locks. "We must get the knowledge of who, and what, we have found here to Avatar Aang and Prince Zuko as soon as possible!" This came from the ancient king, Bumi.  
It was a surprisingly lucid suggestion from one who usually spoke in riddles and non-sequiturs. Ursa's weakened form suddenly came to life; she seemed years younger and much more vital, than she had been only moments before, upon hearing the name of her beloved son! "Zuko; is he here?" she asked Iroh, hopefully. "No Ursa, but if providence smiles upon us, and him; you will be reunited soon.


	18. Sibling Rivalry

Chapter 18  
Sibling Rivalry

(Set Between 'Sozin's Comet' Pts. 3 &4)

Half a world away from Ba-Sing-Se, in the Fire-Nation capitol; the very subjects of Iroh and Ursa's conversation were readying themselves for a confrontation that was a long time in coming. Azula knelt before the Fire Sages, and was becoming more and more unbalanced by the moment.  
She did not wear the formal coronation robes, as was tradition; she simply wore the Fire Lord's cloak over her standard-dress military uniform. It was fitted for Ozai, and had not been altered; so it looked ridiculously large on Azula. She had also apparently attempted to give herself a haircut, and her luxurious raven locks now hung in uneven, shredded tatters. Judging by the dark lines that encircled her eyes, she had not slept in some time.  
As the lead sage was about to place the golden flame-shaped hairpiece upon her head; the badge of the Fire-lord's office, he was interrupted by a low, rumbling groan from above. Those assembled in the courtyard looked up to see a giant flying bison, bearing the Prince of the Fire-nation and a girl from the Water-tribe come to a halt and land in the courtyard. Zuko jumped down and told his sister, "Sorry, you're not going to become the Fire-lord, today, I am!"  
"You're hilarious," she said with a disturbed cackle; "are you going to challenge me for it!?" "Yes," Zuko said, emphatically. "I challenge you." "Very well, brother, it's the show-down we were always meant to have; Agni-Kai, just you and me!"  
Katara pulled Zuko aside and practically shook him, "What are you doing?" "Even you admitted to your uncle that you were going to need help dealing with her!" "If you do this, you're just giving her a chance to separate us!" "I know," Zuko said with quiet confidence. "I can't explain it, but there's something off about her." "I think she's losing her grip on reality." "And, this way, no one else has to get hurt," Zuko told Katara, with a meaningful look in his eyes. As Zuko and Azula readied themselves by meditating in opposite corners of the arena, Katara hoped and prayed Zuko was right about Azula's state of mind.  
Finally, the two warriors were ready; they stood, faced each other, and began. Zuko moved in cautiously, sizing up his sister's posture and trying to gauge just how far she'd slipped away, mentally. Azula, on the other hand, had a feral snarl on her face and charged recklessly at Zuko, building up an enormous firestorm of blue flame behind her. Katara could feel the heat building, even a dozen yards away. Zuko used his own fire to split Azula's burst and then dissipate it harmlessly into the surrounding walls of the courtyard.  
'She was definitely slipping,' Zuko thought to himself; he'd never been able to dissipate her fire like that, before. Until recently, it was all he could do to simply block her. It seemed that the balance of power and the control of the situation had shifted in Zuko's favor. Katara wondered if it had anything to do with Zuko finally finding some inner peace, and greater self-confidence; which in turn, Katara associated with his budding relationship with Aang.  
The young Avatar seemed to have that effect on nearly everyone he met; but it seemed to be especially profound in Zuko's case. Even so, Katara knew that Azula was still a formidable and dangerous opponent; she watched the fight, and looked for any openings she could exploit to enter into the fight on Zuko's side.  
As Katara watched the unfolding battle with awe, and fear, she was still a little intimidated by fire, especially blazes this formidable; she was stunned to hear Zuko trying to goad his sister into using her lightning. Then Katara remembered what Zuko said about being able to redirect lightning bursts. Katara realized Zuko would try to turn Azula's own attack against her! It was a very risky, but incredibly courageous gambit. The fire witch, having had enough of her brother's taunts, screamed "I'll show you lightning!"  
The air around the princess began to spark and her hair stood up as a blue corona of pure energy built around her. Then she prepared to fire the blast of lightning, but it was aimed not at her brother, but at the person he had sought to protect by keeping her out of the fight; Katara! Zuko yelled "NO!" and leapt into Azula's line of fire; he tried to redirect the lightning, but he wasn't prepared for her to shoot at Katara and his form was off. Most of Azula's lightning was redirected but some of it caught Zuko in the chest, and he crumpled to the ground, twitching uncontrollably.  
The earlier fear that Katara had was now replaced by cold rage. As she saw Zuko take the shot that was meant for her, Katara was reminded of the last time she saw a dear friend fall to this she-devil's lightning. When Aang fell, Katara had been able to use her healing abilities and water from the spirit oasis to tend to his wounds right away; Azula didn't appear to have any intention of letting Katara anywhere near to her wounded brother, however.  
As Katara rushed towards Zuko, to try to help him she was blocked by a wall of blue fire that sprang up between her and the fallen prince. She looked around for a source of water, if she could get to some, she was confident she would be able to level the playing field.


	19. The Avatar Incarate

Chapter 19  
The Avatar Incarnate  
(Set during 'Sozin's Comet' pt. 4)

Aang was dancing high on pillars of rock in the 'stone forest' near the fire nation coast; dodging Ozai's bursts of flame but as long as Ozai kept him on the defensive, he couldn't really shoot back. Occasionally, he was able to fire a blast of air, fire or stone back at the Firelord, but not enough to do more than slow him down a little. Now, Ozai had him backed against a wall. Aang bent a sphere of stone around himself as he tried to catch his breath, and think of a plan. Ozai was inexorably drilling through the sphere using his fire-bending like a blow torch, Aang could feel the incredible heat, and he could hear Ozai's megalomaniacal boasting. At just that moment, back at the palace, Zuko had fallen to Azula's lightning, and Aang somehow sensed it, the scar on his back throbbed in agony and he crumpled; and his stone sphere collapsed. Aang blacked out for a moment, but he heard Ozai saying that he would die, just as all the other air-benders had died, and soon, his pathetic son would be dead, as well.  
This was the last straw, Aang could feel Zuko's agony, even though he was miles away; and the words of the lion turtle came back to him. Zuko was Aang's connection to the physical world, and his spiritual equal, and opposite. A familiar surge of energy and awareness rushed through him, he became the entirety of the forces of nature made manifest; it was the avatar state!  
He emerged from under the pile of rubble, his eyes glowing furiously. Aang began to thrash Ozai, for the first time since their fight began, the Fire-lord, now self-proclaimed Phoenix King, felt true fear. Just as his arm, under the control of his past lives, was about to deliver the final blow; Aang came back to himself, and said, "No, I won't end it this way." "I knew it," Ozai said smugly, "Even with all the power in the world, you're still weak!"  
Despite Ozai's bluster, the relief in his voice was palpable. He came towards Aang, ready to resume their battle. Thanks to Toph's instruction, Aang could feel Ozai's movements just by the minute vibrations they caused in the ground. Aang immobilized Ozai's hands and feet in pillars of stone, he then placed one hand on Ozai's forehead, and the other over his heart. Aang entered the Fire-lord's mind, and was almost overwhelmed by evil of the man's thoughts, and the cold darkness that was his soul.  
Once again, the Avatar's mind went to Zuko, Katara, Sokka and Toph. He thought of the love he had for them, and they for him. These thoughts brought warmth and light which pushed back the cold blackness that Ozai represented. When they finally separated, Aang stumbled but did not fall; it was Ozai who collapsed to the ground, too spent and weak to move. "What did you do to me?" Ozai asked in voice that was so thin and feeble, it was barely recognizable. "I took away your bending," Aang said, his voice was strong and unwavering, but cold; However, there was no hint of the smugness or gloating that some might have used in his position. "You won't be able to harm anyone, especially Zuko, ever again." Aang again summoned the power of the Avatar to douse the fires Ozai's fleet had started.  
Just then, a battered looking airship came to a somewhat rough landing on the cliff beside them. Toph came out, followed by Suki who was supporting a hobbling Sokka, whose left leg was bandaged, and splinted. "Wow," said Sokka in a slightly slurred voice, "You should have seen yourself, you were amazing, Aang!" Suki leaned over and peered at the slumped form of Ozai, "So, did you, um, finish the job?" "I'm still alive," Ozai tried to say in a defiant voice, but it came out as a pathetic whisper. "I learned that there was another way to beat him," Aang explained in voice that was stronger, more assertive and more confident than his friends had ever heard before; "I took away his bending." "Wow," said Toph, "Where'd you learn to do that?"  
"I'll explain later, but now we have to get to the Fire-nation royal palace; I think something bad has happened to Zuko." "Sokka, can this thing get us there?" "I think so, Aang." "Then let's go, Suki, Toph, bring Ozai," the avatar spoke in a voice that was full of such charisma and authority that his friends didn't even think to question him. The Airship lifted off and headed towards the Fire-nation's capital; the home of their prisoner, and his daughter and son.  
The avatar's thoughts would not turn away from the prince; Aang was practically willing him to be alive, he believed Zuko was just as in tune with him as he with Zuko; and that Zuko could draw strength from that connection. At that moment, the subject of Aang's thoughts was being healed by the ministrations of Katara. Her fight with Azula was vicious, but once the odds had tipped in Katara's favor, it was over quickly. She had the princess chained to a pillar sobbing hysterically and shooting fire from her mouth; Katara believed Azula had completely lost her grip on reality.  
Zuko felt a warm surge of energy deep inside, that he knew had little to do with Katara's healing; it was Aang, he could feel it. Nevertheless, Zuko was very grateful to Katara, Azula's lightning hit very close to his heart, Zuko did not doubt that Katara had probably saved his life. He hugged and thanked her; she returned the gesture and reminded him that he had also saved her life tonight. The two of them looked down with melancholy expressions at the broken princess. Zuko knelt down and gently kissed his sister's forehead; and, just for a moment, it seemed like her sobbing abated, a little. "Can you keep an eye on things here, for a while, Katara?" Zuko asked her. And then he said, "I need to be alone for a while." "Are you sure you're alright?" She asked, with concern in her voice. "Yeah," he reassured her, "I just need to be alone to think for a while."


	20. War's End

Chapter 20  
War's End  
(Set during the climax of "Sozin's Comet" pt. 4)

Katara wanted to muzzle the whimpering princess, but figured Zuko wouldn't approve, so Katara had to settle for tuning her out. She heard the sound of an approaching airship, and looked up to see the vessel coming in for a landing. Katara saw her brother and Suki waving from the windows. The airship looked like it had seen better days. Suki and Sokka maneuvered the battered vessel to a relatively smooth landing in the palace courtyard. Only then did Katara realize should could not see Toph, or Aang; 'Oh no' she thought to herself, her fear quickly turned to relief when she saw Aang and Toph disembark with her brother and Suki. Aang rushed to her and asked with a hint of desperation in his voice "Where's Zuko, is he all right?" She gave him a quick tight hug, she said "Zuko got badly wounded during the fight with Azula, but I was able to heal him; he then said he needed to be alone to think." Aang hugged Katara with grateful tears in his eyes, silently mouthed "Thank You" and then ran off to find Zuko. Aang had a pretty good idea where he'd find Zuko; he had seen it during their visit to the spirit world. Katara fought the urge to go after Aang, she respected that he and Zuko probably wanted some privacy right now.  
Katara stayed with their other friends and began to work on her brother's broken limb, and listened to the story of victory against the airship fleet and how Aang defeated the Fire-lord, on his own terms, without taking a life. Katara found it disconcerting to be so close to the evil man; but marveled at what they said Aang had told them about spirit-bending and removing Ozai's fire-bending.  
Aang found Zuko right where he expected, beside his mother's pond, in the garden. The prince's back was towards Aang, and his shoulders heaved and shuddered slightly. 'Was Zuko crying ,' Aang wondered. "Zuko," he said softly, Zuko turned at the sound, and he blushed and wiped his eyes and then got up and went to Aang. The two of them embraced and kissed, Zuko looked into the beautiful grey eyes and asked "Is it over?" Aang nodded, he was too full of emotion to speak. "Ozai, is he…" Zuko couldn't finish that sentence.  
Aang found his voice, and told Zuko that his father was alive, and how he had found another way. Zuko sighed with relief, and embraced Aang. The two young fighters had achieved what they set out to do, they ended this accursed war. They released long held tension, and fell into each other's arms. There, in the garden for the first time, but not for the last; the Fire-prince, soon to be Firelord, and the Avatar, soon to be the Firelord's consort abandoned themselves to each other and to passion.  
A week later, Zuko knelt before the fire sages to accept his coronation; he then stood before a huge crowd, made up of representatives of all the nations, Fire, Earth, Water, and the Air Nomads his uncle had rescued. Aang was there beside him, and after Zuko made a short speech he held up a hand to silence the cheers of the crowd and said "My friends, the real hero is the Avatar," Zuko gestured for the boy, correction, young man, to come forward, he hugged him and gestured out at the crowd.  
The loudest cheers and applause ever heard in the Fire-nation's capital in a hundred years went up for the Avatar and the Firelord; and the loudest of all the cheers came from their family, on the dais behind them; Katara and Sokka, and their father, Hakoda were there; as was Toph. Zuko's uncle and his mother were there, too.  
In the front row of the crowd stood the rest of their extended family; Haru and his father, Ty-ro, and Teo and his father the "mechanist", along with 'Pipsqueak' and 'The Duke'; they were all here. Aang and Zuko looked at the family they had built and smiled at what they all had achieved, together. They had brought peace to the world, and more importantly, unity.  
End

Acknowledgements: Thanks to Mike DiMartino and Brian Konietzko for letting us play in the wonderful world they created, we appreciate the magic you made.  
Thanks also, to 2dragonkat, and Darth Animus; their stories "Could we Have Been?" and "Memories from the Western Air Temple," respectively, served as an inspiration for this one.

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